


Head Full of Doubt

by Milesupshur47



Series: Perfect Space [1]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Romance, wildehopps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-28 19:25:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 41,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8460094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milesupshur47/pseuds/Milesupshur47
Summary: Being skeptical has always kept Nick out of trouble. But perhaps some things are well worth the risk?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, alright, here we are. My first fanfic! How about that? The stage is set and the seats are warm, please enjoy at your leisure! Comment if necessary and please, be brutally honest! There are no wrong opinions!
> 
> Well, maybe be a little gentle with the comments...eheh...

Nick sighed loudly. This was the fourth night in a row that him and Judy sat outside a dingy little convenient store in Downtown. The fourth night, once more nearing midnight, where nothing happened.

And Judy was as stone faced as ever. 

Again the fox gave a bored groan in protest to the stale silence sitting in the patrol car. And again Judy sat in the drivers seat with her bright violet eyes glued to the storefront.  
It was at that point Nick decided it was time to try the old fashioned practice of garnering her attention: you know, talking. 

"Carrots, we've been out here all night. A church mouse wouldn't wander around this hour," he said rubbing his forehead. Despite being one of the more downtrodden parts of Savannah Central, this place was still practically spotless in presentation. Not even a random newspaper littered the streets. Not much to go on when suspecting criminal activity. 

"Nick..." Judy sighed calmly, "you know I do my homework when it comes to a case." Her gaze was still aimed in the stores direction, her normally strict ears laid flat with anticipation. "This is the next one. I can feel it."

Nick threw up his paws in mock surrender, a motion that was lost on the preoccupied bunny. He knew there was no convincing Judy to take an early night. 'Early' being the oddly appropriate word. He was happy to help her on whatever hunches and bad ideas she had, heck, he would walk into a gun fight with an arm tied behind his back for her. Nick was just bored. And when he was bored, it made him say things that even he would question.

"Okay, how about we review the case one more time." That was an odd thing to say. 

She turned to him in a flash, her business expression made it's presence known with the flip of her notepad, and the click of her carrot-shaped pen. With a keen smile she started explaining the string of break-ins piece by piece in excruciating detail.

Nick rested his chin in his paw and smiled at her. He loved seeing her like this. When it came to work, Judy was second to none in her dedication to the job. She had that surge of passion go through her and it was like watching a firecracker downing an energy drink. 'Bunnies, so emotional' he would always think to himself. When it came to these moments Nick's thoughts would usually linger in the deeper parts of his brain, drawing connections he still wasn't used to. 

'I wish she would show that sort of enthusiasm for m-' the thought cut off and Nick gave a weird look of surprise before turning towards the passenger window.

'Where's that thought going' a bemused fox voice thought to itself.

'You know where that was going' a more sincere voice said in his head. 

Ideas started buzzing in his ears like angry bees. Thoughts he would much rather keep toned down to a minimum. 

'What exactly was I thinking there'?  
'Why was I thinking that'?  
'And WHY does my chest feel funny'?

Judy noticed her partners immediate priority shift and tilted her head with a questioning, but concerned look.

"Are you alright over there?" She cautiously unclicked her pen and stowed her notebook. "Normally it takes a bit longer for you to get bored of my antics, and I haven't heard a single joke yet."

His back was only turned for a second before he swished around with that trademark smile on his lips. The one that always brought the same response to nearly any question.

And like clockwork, "I'm fine Carrots, what's up with you?"

She gave a sarcastic frown accentuated by spitting her tongue out, before turning back to the store. "You're losing your touch, Nick. You're becoming more predictable."

His response was an exaggerated gasp. "Me? Predictable? Alert the local media! Warn the townsfolk! The people must know." This was followed by an expression of mock concern. "On second thought, don't. They'll take all of my awards from Charm School."

Say what you would about him, Nick knew how to make her laugh. She reluctantly stifled a chuckle with a smug smile, only to snort out a giggle in defeat. Nick took notice and winked at her in victory. 

"I can tell when things are bothering you," she said with a genuine softness falling over her face. "I'm here when you actually want to talk."

That cracked his armor just enough for Judy to see the thought cross the Fox's mind before he donned a more legitimate smile. One meant not for swindling, but for thankfulness. 

Before he could rebuttal, a muffled crash rang from across the street. The window of the store was broken. The pair of do-gooders barely glimpsed three large figures waltzing in. 

Nick was the first to admit he was wrong. With a knowing glance and his best 'you got me' smile, "How about that. Guess I owe you a Coke."

 

Hopping out of the patrol cruiser the pair quickly made their way up to the broken front of the store, sidling up to the door. Judy peeked around the corner glass, spotting the perps rifling behind the counter most likely looking for a safe.

"Three crooks, all larger profiles. Probably rhinos." She let her serious look subside a bit to give Nick a confident glance. "Think we can handle them?"

He nonchalantly checked his dart gun, already loaded with a fluffy tailed tranquilizer round. "These oafs? Walk in the park." His bravado stretched a smirk across his muzzle.

Judy was wary, which Nick interpreted as nervousness. She wasn't keen on a potential rumble with three larger animals. But it was more about caution than fear for hers or Nick's safety. He took notice and raised an eyebrow.

She always looked very concentrated when she was nervous, analyzing every minute detail. She hid it well. To most they saw a dedicated cop, enthralled with every aspect of her occupation, but Nick saw past that. He could read her and, as much as he hated to admit it, she could read him just as well. 'Have to up my game next time,' he thought. 

"You look worried." He placed a paw on her shoulder reinforced with a steely look.  
"Don't be. I got your back, partner."

Any faded sense of pause melted away at his smile. They were always there to support one another. One needn't worry when the other was present. 

She nodded with a smile. "Let's do this, partner."

\---

The duo rounded the corner silently hopping over the shattered window, dart guns at the ready. 

Judy looked to her partner for confirmation before they acted. With a nod from Nick she broke the silence. "ZPD! Put your paws in the air and get down on your knees!"

The three were indeed all rhinos, and they spun around in immediate surprise. They looked frantically for the voice of the police before lowering their collective gaze to see the imposing pair of Wilde and Hopps, trying their darnedest to look intimidating.

"It's the fuzz," one shouted still rummaging through the register.

"Yeah but it's just a wee little bunny," another said standing in front of the counter.

"And a fox," the third said standing with his cohort. 

The register rummaging rhino emptied the drawer and moved in front of the counter. "We can handle these pipsqueaks."

Nick responded with a raised eyebrow and a smug smile. "Oh ye of little faith," he said, and he shot a dart right in the looters gut. 

Appropriately, the rhino looked surprised. Here was this fuzz ball less than half his size with a big mouth, and he just shot him like a pin cushion. That was his last cogent thought before the drugs took effect and he toppled like a tower of dominoes.

The others took that as their cue to charge. 

Judy fired at another, but her target managed to clumsily swat the projectile out of the air before closing the gap between them. 

He went for Nick first, who was trying to load another round in his pistol, while the other oaf went for Judy trying to crush her with the thunderous stomps of his clubbed feet. 

A low swipe was effortlessly dodged by Nick who danced on his footpaws with candor. "Gonna have to try harder than that big guy!" he shouted with all the arrogance of a cheetah competing in the 100 yard dash. "I'm faster than the average bea-"

And then he was knocked away with a heavy haymaker. He flew and hit one of the display shelves sending assorted candy bars scattering everywhere.

"Good hit," he wheezed. 

Judy was doing considerably better, skillfully sliding between and behind tree trunk sized legs, and leaping up the crook's back gaining momentum. She then slammed down on his head with a powerful, double kick sending him face first into the floor. He went out like a light. Nick would have said a snappy one liner like 'You have the right to remain silent' or something corny like 'head, meet floor. Floor, head'. But Judy was all business, though she would bring up a list of jargons to say hours after the fact. 

Nick shakily stood to his feet. That rhino was stronger than he looked, and he looked strong. Speaking of which, he was lumbering right towards Nick looking all the happier for wiping that smugness off the fast talker's face. 

It was then that Judy chose to interject by giving a running roundhouse straight to the side of the criminals head, with enough force to send him flying out the broken window. 

Nick sighed outwardly. Here she was saving his tookus again, pulling him out of the frying pan. He was NOT looking forward to the talking to he was gonna get later, but better a tongue wagging than a freshly broken tail he rationalized.

A quick look over his shoulder and back to the front had Nick confirming all perps were down. They had taken down three oversized mammals, without backup, and with nary but a scratch on them. A fox with too much concern for his looks, and a bunny barely tall enough to ride a roller coaster. 

Looking across to the front window where his gray-furred companion stood out of breath, Nick started with a triumphant "Phew".

"How about that? We took down a whole cabal of muscle heads and didn't even break a sweat." He wrenched his shoulder, producing an audible popping sound. "Well, mostly sweat free." Judy turned and beamed at him with a grin. There Nick was again, turning a situation light hearted without skipping a beat. 

That's when Nick caught movement past the shattered window. A fourth perp, one they had missed. He was probably a getaway driver. The eager cops had been too swept up in the moment to check the alley for a criminal's escape vehicle. Perhaps he was a street over, patrolling, waiting for his moment. 

Regardless of the circumstances, Nick noticed him over Judy's shoulder, and in an instant the surprise and shock of the new mammal's ensemble dawned over the fox. A small weasel, plain clothes, unremarkable except for what he held in his paw. A gun. A real gun. And he was aiming it right at them. 

His instincts literally had Nick leap into action, with adrenaline injecting a turbo boost in the heart of the straight and narrow fox. He lunged for his partner and screamed for her to get down. But it only took a second for the fidgeting weasel to fire off some potshots. 

Three shots rang out.

One hit a glass jar full of cheap candy on the counter, narrowly whizzing past Nick's ear. 

The other two, hit Judy.

If she heard the shots coming with those big bunny ears she gave no indication. When the shots hit she fell almost immediately, almost too fast for Nick to catch her. But he did, and with another quick leap he made it to cover behind one of the many product shelves. 

Nick held her close to his chest, his body pressed up against the thin metal that provided safety from another volley of terrible shots. These shots weren't even close. Only one managed to hit the shelf while the others pelted the wall opposite the retreating officers. It was an evil twist of luck that they hit Judy at all.

'Judy, oh no no no no no...'

Nick's mind was in overdrive. In the heat of a gunfight it was hard to keep a cool head, especially considering who laid in his arms. Zootopia's best police officer. It's first rabbit cop who cracked the most important case in years almost singlepawed. The person who inspired a meager con fox to change his ways and use his talents for good, to help change his life for the better. The single most important person in Nick's life. 

'Keep it together, dumb dumb. Won't do you any good getting tagged too.' The impulsive part of his brain spoke up, the voice of calculating slick Nick. 

He took his own advice quieting his nerves as he could, trying to keep a steady train of thought.

'There's still the shooter to deal with. She's not going anywhere if I get shot too'.

Nick closed his eyes and breathed, calming his heartbeat ever so slightly and narrowing his focus. He couldn't hear anymore shots. The last wave had stopped abruptly with the click of an empty firing chamber and never resumed. The fox, against all his better judgment quickly glanced through the bullet hole in the shelf, searching for any sign of the gunner. When that turned up with zero sighting he poked his head around the barrier, quickly as to avoid attention. Again, no sight of him.

'Maybe he left,' Slick Nick thought. It was doubtful they had stocked up ammo for a police fight.

He looked down at Judy, lying there unmoving in his arms. She was unconscious, probably from the sudden shock of her wounds. Nick moved his paw to see the wound in her stomach. She winced with a small groan of pain. If he didn't do something quick she would bleed out.

'No more shooter,' Nick reasoned. 'Probably turned tail and bailed.'

With a final scan in the direction of the window and no sight of immediate danger, Nick grabbed his shoulder radio. He barked into it, his other paw cupping Judy's still face.

"This is Officer Wilde requesting backup! Officer Hopps is down!" Her breathing was so shallow Nick could barely hear it. "I need an ambulance here now!"

He released the radio to pull Judy into his lap. Nick didn't hear the dispatch's drone of a response back to him. His only concern was right in front of him, his best friend lying still as a fallen branch. Her uniform was barely touched, but the rapidly growing red stains spoke otherwise. One in her stomach, the other in her left leg. Her face was a mess of ruffled fur with the odd tinge of red flecked across the soft gray that usually held her. She'd been in scrapes before, being shot at was nothing new. But there was usually warning. They had always been so careful. 

Nick cursed himself. "Dammit Wilde, you're supposed to have her back. See where she can't. Work together". If he hadn't distracted her she would have dodged the shots. "You let your big mouth get the best of you."

The rabbit in his lap groaned lightly. She was still with him. God only knew for how long. 

"Don't worry Carrots, help is on the way." The fox pat his paw shakily over her cheek, trying in vain to comfort his quiet companion. "Why'd you have to go and be so small huh, Carrots? Hit like that wouldn't have hurt McHorn or Delgatto." He chuckled meekly, hoping, praying for a reaction. A sneer. A frown. Anything. But Judy remained still, shallow breath continuing. 

Her cute bunny nose twitched like when she was nervous, flanked by short whiskers on either side. Only difference now was the steady stream of blood trailing from her nostril which worried Nick to no end. He began to rock her back and forth nervously, smoothing her ears back and cradling her head to his shoulder. 

"Hold on Judy. Just hold on."

\---


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback! This chapter is...well, longer. But it's how the writing fit together. I don't want to upload a disjointed chapter by slicing it in half.
> 
> Bleh, enough rationalizing. I'll try and keep uploading a chapter each day if I can. Again, any feedback is welcome!

When the hospital doors burst open Nick had two thoughts amidst the slurry of his mind. 

One was how much he hated hospitals. The smell always bothered him with its constant air of cleanliness, as if the walls themselves oozed disinfectant. He knew it was only standard procedure for a medical facility to be kept spotless, but that didn't detract from the unnerving sense of it all. The hallways were always so narrow, kind of suffocating in their own way. And the rooms felt like they hid something. Like a smoke screen detracting, trying to hide that voice yelling "Hey you're here for a reason!" To Nick the geometry always felt off. 

His second thought was that the doctors wheeling Judy through on a gurney were not moving fast enough. 

One of the EMTs, ironically Nick noted to be a porcupine, briefed the various nurses, physicians, and doctors on the rabbit's injuries. Multiple gunshot wounds leading to consistent blood loss, which was staunched only moderately on the way. The docs buzzed around her checking vitals, shining lights in her eyes and monitoring her pulse. They had pressed gauze pads into her wounds, now seeped through with red. 

'Her fur is gonna be stained,' he said internally. The thought of her perfect hue of gray turned gnarly brown made Nick stifle a gurgle. He was trying to turn his thoughts to greener pastures, but the shock was still too fresh. 

They would talk to him asking how it happened, how long had she been bleeding, what was her blood type. But their faces blurred on the edges of his vision, and their words fell on deaf ears. Nick's focus was on his partner, wiggling with the motion of the gurney, eyes fluttering open and closed like she was having a nightmare. A nightmare like the one Nick was living now. His heart beating like the spokes on a bicycle didn't help. If he didn't calm down soon the hospital would be admitting two officers instead of one. 

'Lotta bad things happen in hospitals,' thought Slick Nick. 'Horror movies, documentaries. Just like a bad TV drama'.

'No!' Nick contested. 'She's gonna be fine! I promised her.'

'Wouldn't be the first promise you fell out on,' Slick doubted.

It was hard to switch off the cynical side of his brain, especially when he had kept the power running to it for years. But these thoughts only made him hold Judy's paw tighter, squeezing in hopes that she would feel it and open her eyes. If she just opened her eyes Nick knew she would be alright. A million times they had stood upon the brink of a toilsome situation. In those moments Nick would look over and see those determined violet eyes and he knew they would pull through. There was nothing he couldn't handle at her side. He always wondered what she thought when she looked at his. Now he wondered if he would ever find out. 

"Sir!" a wolverine snapped his fingers in Nick's face, bringing him back to the world. "We need to take her into surgery, you have to let go of her."

Nick knew it would come to this. The moment where he had to tear his gaze off her and leave her to better paws. But a part of his brain was screaming at him to just watch her. If he just kept an eye on her.... That's how it had always been. They watched each other's backs. And they kept each other safe. 

'Look where that got her though.'

Nick swallowed back his guilt before looking to her a final time, releasing her paw. 

"Take care of her," he said to no one in particular. 

They rushed past the double doors of the ICU leaving Nick alone in the hallway. His beating heart slowed, almost like it fell out of him completely. Now it was just replaced with an empty pit that only ached worse than before. He felt like a damn fool. 

Judy would tell him to be strong. "Keep your head up. Things find a way to work themselves out." But she wasn't here right now. His eyes fell to the ground where his heart would've lain. 

'Just like a bad TV drama.'

\---

When the ambulance carrying the wounded Officer Hopps and the practically catatonic Officer Wilde arrived it was near midnight. Now it was approaching the one 'o' clock mark, and Nick had just sat head in paws staring at a wall for the majority of it. 

His ribs were aching. Taking a hit from a two thousand pound rhino would do that to you. After they took Judy into the operating room someone was sent to attend to Nick's bruised ribs despite his constant assurances that he was fine. But the doctors knew best and eventually Nick relented and was taken to a side room for assessment. 

Everything seemed pretty standard. "Simple diagnosis, simple procedure," the doctor had said. He'd been punched in the gut and probably cracked his ribs. He bandaged Nick up and returned the fox to his hallway vigil where he waited patiently for news of his rabbit. 

Medical personnel had passed to and from the operating room down the hall, either hastily rushing to the cold double doors, or slogging slowly out after some unknown procedure they had performed or assisted in. Most ignored Nick's inquiries about the state of Judy, brushing him off with the standard crap Nick might tell a victim: "it's too early to tell," or "we're doing our best at the moment."

The irony was not lost him. Day after day he struggled with the interaction between himself and a scared store clerk who's shop was broken into, or the latest victim of a dime-a-dozen mugging. Awkward procedure was Nick's go to strategy, spilling the lines that were taught to him at the academy. The ex-confox could weave tapestries of lies and misdirection like no one else. He could swindle the sternest of shrews out of their last cent (except one particular shrew who saw through one too many times). But when it came to consoling a shaken animal Nick turned to putty. 

Judy never struggled. She would give that reassuring smile with sincerity behind those violet eyes, and you knew everything was going to turn out for the better. She knew not only how to be an officer of the law, but to be a shoulder to cry on, someone who could make the world just a little brighter for the frightened and infirm. Nick once joked that she would probably read to the blind if she had enough free time, and after that jest he was never really sure if that was out of the question. Judy really was one of a kind. 

If only he could be there for her right now when she needed him most. Nick Wilde was no Judy Hopps, but he was still her best friend, her closest anchor to reality, or so he liked to believe. That was his strength. When circumstances got just a little too heavy Nick swooped in with a joke or a smile to set her mind at ease. He talked. But right now, that seemed like all he was good for. 

Nick was almost too stuck in his head to notice the operating doors swing open again, this time with a haggard looking jaguar walking out. The mammal noticed the sullen looking fox in his uniform blues and headed towards him. 

Nick postured himself, ears perked ready for whatever news the doc had. 

"Is she-"

The doctor raised his paw to stop the fox. He removed his surgical mask and let a drawn out sigh fill the air.

The doc filled him in with all of the enthusiasm of a bland morning news report. Judy had suffered moderate blood loss, which if they hadn't arrived earlier, might have been fatal. In addition to that, the second bullet had grazed her kneecap. It was a through and through; straight forward damage with no nonsense. Nick noted that as curious. "Nonsense" was such a casual term to describe life-threatening injuries like a gunshot.

It was the caveat to that injury that gave the fox a start though. Because of the placement of the shot, the healing process was expected to be arduous. Extensive physical therapy was to be undergone if Judy wanted to regain full use, in addition to a steady, healthy diet, and minimal stress when necessary. Even then it was not a guarantee that she would be able to walk without physical assistance.

She might never regain full use of her leg. 

Nick's eyes widened at the thought. All that work, all of that time spent training to realize her dream. And she might be relegated to a desk job.

Nick refused to let that reality be entertained. Judy was a strong individual. She had proved the strength of her character and mind time and again. This would only be another notch in her belt of surpassed challenges. 

The fox shook away his uncertainty before standing. Crying could wait. Nothing was set in stone yet, and now he just needed to see his partner. 

"Can I see her?"

The first look of real concern shone through the feline physician's features. "She's been set up down the hall. Due to the anesthesia, she'll be out unconscious for a period. But you're welcome to wait at her side, provided you're on the visitor list." 

He gestured past him to one of the dozens of doors. Each probably held another sad sap like the sympathetic fox or the injured bunny. 'Too cynical. Not now,' Nick thought.

Nick thanked the doc before rushing off behind him.

'Be strong, Wilde. She needs you.'

'Who needs whom, I wonder?'

'Shut up.'

\---

When Nick finally saw Judy's slumbering form he was overcome with a peculiar mixture of grief and resolution. On one paw, she had been shot and now lay in a hospital bed with an IV drip in her arm, her leg covered in a freshly plastered cast, and oxygen fed to her through a mask. But on the other paw, there she was; safe and sound, and most definitely alive. 

He had imagined she might be a nightmare of tubes and wires, hooked up to who knows what sort of medical mumbo jumbo, like a Frankenstein amalgam of spare parts and other extra cadaver bits. It was highly irrational sure, but Nick always had a colorful train of thought. That and the lack of sleep was starting to reach him. Though she did look a little worse for wear, Nick much preferred the picture before him. 

He stopped only a few steps in, allowing the door to quietly close behind him. The room was of simple make, to his left was a table with two chairs in the corner. Straight ahead, a window looking out over the rooftop littered with air conditioning units and ventilation fixtures. And to his right was the bed with its current patient sleeping comfortably in its sterilized sheets. 

He slid a chair up to the bed, resting his paws on the edge. They were inches from Judy's, and all he wanted to do was wrap his fingers in her paw just to make sure she was really there. But it was too early for that. Best to just make sure she's okay before making presumptions. 

The fox reached over to the end of the bed where her medical chart hung. Giving it a once over, Nick didn't gleam any additional information. Everything matched up to what the doctor told him. Administration of anesthesia was logged; there was even an estimated time for it to wear off. 

Nick sighed and replaced the chart. She wouldn't be awake for a few hours, maybe even a day. It wouldn't have been a challenge for the attentive fox to stay awake for maybe another half hour, but the combination of sleep and stress was getting to him.

Adjusting in his seat Nick leaned against the bed, once more eyeing her paw lying empty in front of him.

'She wouldn't mind if I just rested my eyes for a while.'

Judy almost looked peaceful laying there in a hospital gown, snug and neat with the covers pulled over her. Her face remained still, betraying any thought of discomfort she might have had.

He settled his head on the blanket, looking sideways at his partner.

"I'll be right here when you wake up, Carrots. I promise."

His paw joined in hers, gripping lightly as sleep overtook him.

"Promise."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the next chapter will be a little lighter. Just a smidge. Promise:)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bright and early! Enjoy!

The next day crawled by at a snails pace, while Nick wanted for naught with occupying his time until Judy regained consciousness. He had received calls from the precinct, visits from officers looking to catalog the case as soon as it was opened, and Nick vaguely recalled an angry tirade from Chief Bogo at one point. Nick nodded absently through it all and cooperated as thoroughly as he could manage in his state. When it came down to the line, he wouldn't leave the room, content enough to stay by her side no matter the cost, or threat of legal action from the officers and hospital staff.

When Judy finally opened her eyes she was greeted with the pleasant visage of Nick Wilde slumbering lazily at her bedside, his paw entwined gently in hers. It was probably the sole reason she didn't wake up in a panic. She didn't know what happened, where she was, or why she felt like she went ten rounds with Mike Bison. But it couldn't have been all bad if Nick was here. He was her rock, and she was his. 

And he was drooling on her.

"Hey." Nothing. He was in a deep sleep. Probably selling pawpsicles to unicorns in a deep dreamscape.

"Nick, you're slobbering on me." She said it in that simultaneously patronizing, and caring tone. It was always a tease between the two of them, though her voice was blunted by the dreariness she experienced from the drugs in her system.

It wasn't very long before a small, bunny paw returned the gesture of a caring squeeze to Nick's fox paw, followed by a sluggish flick of his nose. When she did, he didn't react, still submerged in the river of sleep washing through him. He did smile though, and Judy noticed that. It made her smile in turn. She decided it had been best to start off simple. Now the kid gloves were coming off.

When her fox still didn't respond she reached over and gave his ear a tug. If Nick was allowed to mess with her, she could mess with him. It was only fair.

That did it. Nick practically jumped out of his fur, bolting upright, and stumbling to his feet. His eyes were bloodshot, and his fur clumped on the side of his face the drool ran down. He looked like a fool, and he probably felt like one too.

"Hey calm down." Judy raised a paw in a calming gesture and tried to hide a smirk. "The big bad bunny isn't gonna get you."

Her voice would have had a calming effect on him, if only the collected stress of a long work day followed by the last afternoons incident hadn't been eating at him for hours. With a shake of his head, and a smoothing of his features, the fox's senses returned. He slid calmly to her side, taking her paw in both of his.

"Sorry about that, Carrots. Normally I would buy a lady dinner before they saw that." His words were quiet and slow. He was trying to play it off as a joke but it was clear that something was bothering him. Nick was usually a master at hiding his emotions, but now they were stitched on his sleeve.

Propped up by the pillows just a few sizes too big for her, Judy adjusted herself to a better posture. She was still weak from the surgery so Nick helped her up as gently as he could. She began to rest an arm over her stomach but the dull pain stopped before she could try.

Nick took her arm and rested it carefully at her side. "Easy there. You're still very tender." He was forcing some of the charm to ooze back into his tone, but Judy recognized his false confidence.

Judy stretched her neck and smoothed her droopy ears. "You say that like its a bad thing." She could tell the comment didn't register when Nick's concerned mug didn't change. "Being sensitive I mean. Dumb fox."

Nick tilted his head and shook it, a half smile gleaned on his lips. "I'm not sure if you remember any of this, but you were in a bad way for a second there." His face turned serious again. He closed his eyes and turned away. "I was really...concerned."

He forced himself to stand and release his grip on her, walking to the end of the bed with his arms crossed. 

"The great Nick Wilde, concerned?" Judy joked mildly. Her voice was a little soft from lack of use. Still it was a good sign that her humor remained intact, much to Nick's reserved delight.

"How much do you remember?"

Judy's face softened and her forehead creased. Her eyes fell to her paws like she was hoping they would provide answers she didn't have. Their lack of Nick's paw was suddenly very apparent.

"Things went pear shaped," she offered. To what extent she didn't know, though the pain in her leg and gut gave her an idea.

Nick's ears flattened and his expression soured. "Pear shaped is an understatement. You were shot, Carrots." 

When Judy's eyes turned to him expectantly, Nick turned to the window. Instinctively he tried to make himself small, hunching his shoulders and lowering his head. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that Nick was feeling guilty for not stopping the shooter, or otherwise having his partner's back. He shifted uncomfortably, unable to face her. 

She read the situation, and like the friend she was she called out to him with nothing but concern in her voice. "Nick-"

"Dammit, Judy I'm so sorry." She couldn't see his face, but his reflection was catching on the glass, and the glisten in his eyes showed his cards.

"I should've caught on sooner," he choked out with his voice threatening tears. "I should've seen it coming."

Even without a brief of the situation Judy knew that it wasn't Nick's fault. She would never hold him accountable for forces out of his control, it was part of her nature. But she could also tell how serious this was to him. He rarely used her actual name except to convey the importance of a message.

"Nick, come here," she said with her arms outstretched.

When he turned to read her reaction, Judy could see the guilt flash across his face once more before he closed the gap between them. She embraced him. It wasn't his fault. She could never be so petty, especially towards her fox. 

Nick must have caught on to her thoughts because he nuzzled into her neck, gently. She was still injured after all.

"I get shot and here I am comforting you," she whispered. She could feel little droplets from tears begin to well on her nape and Nick pulled away from her. He still looked guilty as sin, though his eyes did light up at the sight of his partners winning smile. 

"I'm sorry, I just-" He was cut off by a paw cupping his face to silence him.

"I'm just messing with you." And she pulled him back into a hug.

"My dumb fox."

\---

After Nick's episode of "feelings" he returned to his cool, and collected self. The way he saw it Judy was alright now, and by extension, he was too. Good thing too. If he started acting like that all the time people might start to think he'd gone soft in his life on the blue line.

Not long after the bunny awoke her doctor arrived for a brief consultation. He checked her vitals, made sure she was comfortable with her accommodations, and proceeded to explain the extent of her injuries. 

It was at that point that Nick began to fidget nervously in his chair. How would she take the news? When he had heard the news of her leg he was more than upset. He was crushed. Judy meant enough to him that empathy was never out of the question, if anything it was heightened towards her.

The news delivered, Judy absorbed it with a concentrated look on her face. Nick could see the confident and chipper barrier erected around her though, and more still he could see through it. It was her ears, really. They drooped when she was upset.

She gave a thankful gaze and curt nod to the doctor as he wrapped up her chart and left to give the two some privacy. After the faint click of the door sounded, the room was silent for a spell. 

Judy sat quietly in her bed, mulling over the prognosis as it was given to her. Nick, in all of his infinite wisdom, recognized her apprehension and gave a light hearted tilt of his head, turning towards her.

"You okay, Carrots?" It was a stupid question to be sure, but he asked it anyway.

She chewed on her lip, running a paw down half of her face. That was never a good sign. Nick thought she would probably be thumping her foot anxiously if not for...well.

"It's pretty bad, isn't it," she said as her eyes fell. Her voice cracked. She struggled not to lose her tone, but in the face of the odds it was insurmountable to the wave that fell over her.

"Hey, we can't think like that," Nick said as he moved his paws to her shoulders. He tried his best to put on a brave face for her. It was a job usually relegated to the more hopeful of the two, that being Judy. But when it came to his friend Nick pulled out all of the stops. "We're gonna get you all better. Better than before if I can help it."

She turned her head away from him, though a smile did grace her features.

"You think there's things that I need changed?" That playful tone soothed back into her voice. It was a welcome return. 

Nick shrugged, rolling his eyes. "If you could stop checking my desk for your missing pens that would be great." Judy rolled her eyes in turn.

"Seriously Nick, what am I supposed to do? It's gonna take a while for me to get back on my feet." She looked down to her bedridden form. "Metaphorically speaking."

He nodded and returned to his chair, posing in deep thought. Judy took that as her cue to continue. 

"I'll be out of work for a while. You know Bogo won't even allow me a desk job until I'm one hundred percent." She puffed up her chest and crossed her arms in her best impression of the chief. "No room for mistakes. Get it done, or not at all."

True, Bogo had and would always be the picture of stern. He would insist on mandatory leave until Hopps was able to be back in action. The Cape buffalo was very particular about who did what, for what reason, and to a certain grade of skill. He dotted his "I's" and crossed his "T's". He was like the unspoken father of the force, or cranky uncle. He cared, but he was very particular with his standards.

Suddenly a light bulb flickered in Nick's vulpine skull. There was a simple way of pleasing both ends of the spectrum. He held out his arms in a grand gesture, like he was awarding himself for the best thought plan. 

"Obviously, you'll stay with me."

Judy blinked. That did take her by surprise. "What?"

Nick shoved his paws in his pockets and spoke casually, the way he did when he could see all the pieces falling into place.

"It's rather simple. You can't take care of yourself in your current situation. And you'll go stir crazy before the first day is out. So you'll come stay with me and I'll keep an eye on you."

"That's not necessary Nick, really." He could tell that she wasn't fully on board with his sudden undertaking of responsibility. Regardless of their personal trust in each other, it was still strange for Nick to volunteer anything. "I'll go stay with my parents."

The fox made a mock gesture of personal offense before clasping his paws on front of him. "You would burden your overworked, kindhearted parents, far away in the perils of the countryside instead of the loving offer presented here and now?" He punctuated his plea with a sympathetic smile, the very same that hustled Judy out of a jumbo pop not too long ago.

She huffed a little, giving him a dirty look. "You're impossible."

"You know you love me," he winked.

Of course she knew. Nick could see her resolve melting away. Judy was quick to speak her mind if it meant having an opinion out in the open. She was stubborn too. Very few people were able to convince her of an idea easily. Nick was one of them.

"I've never been to your place. Are you sure you even have enough space for me?"

The russet colored trickster chuckled. "You're not exactly used to luxury, Cartots. I HAVE seen your place."

It was true that Judy occupied a place considered by most to be less than sub-optimal. A single room apartment with walls barely far enough apart for one to stretch their arms in was always bound to grit some teeth, Nick's especially. He might have spent some days lying under a bridge on a lawn chair, but that was only a past time. He knew where his priorities were. 

Still, he could tell she was sincere with her inquiry. Her contemplative expression showed that all too well. "I just don't want to impose on your personal space."

Nick threw his head back for a brief laugh. "Carrots, we spend practically every hour of the day together, either at work or off the clock." His eyes leveled with hers, serious, but holding over that air of cheeriness. "You crashing on the couch won't impede my day to day. In fact, you would probably cut me some walking time to your place."

Judy's sideways looks of comely reservation and shifting shoulders aside, Nick could tell he had won the argument, and a feeling of victory welled up inside him.

"I guess...if it's not too much trouble for you." She smiled.

Nick clapped his paws, elated. He would be able to make sure Judy made it back on her feet, and be able spend time with his best friend. It was a win-win. 

"Excellent," he checked his nonexistent watch and his eyes grew in hollow shock. "Wow look at the time. Bogo's gonna have my tail if I don't write up a situation report before tomorrow morning. Catch ya later Carrots." He spun on his heels and headed for the door, but that quiet voice from behind the fox stopped him, and that familiar longing tugged at his heart.

"Nick."

His ears flicked towards the sound before he froze, then he glanced over his shoulder to his partner.

"Hm?"

He saw her sitting up, twiddling her fingers in her paws. Her ears drooped behind her head, like she was nervous. Like she was being careful. 

"Stay a little while longer?"

The fox's eyes rested on her for a little before that tug in his chest turned to warmth. Judy's words held a pang of wariness, of caution, like she was prepared for refusal. Nick returned to face her at the bedside.

He smiled. "A little while longer then."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any and all feedback is welcome!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day! Honestly I couldn't wait to post the next one so, have at it!

A "little while longer" turned into "when the sun comes up". Nick and Judy spent the time talking about his antics as a con artist, her reminiscing about old days on the farm back home, and eventually into how she was going to tell her parents about the incident. They both agreed they would wait at least until Judy was moved in to Nick's place and recovering. It would be easier to explain once the hospital had played its part in the tale.

When the sun began to peek over the horizon, Nick, tired and bleary eyed, took his leave to report to the precinct. It would be a long day, and difficult, but he promised at the end he would visit Judy once he assured their coworkers that she was fine and all the red tape was neatly packaged.

So he left, with no shortage of encouragement from Judy. She almost had to force him to leave. 'People will think we're joined at the hip,' she had said. 

Nick first made his way to the precinct. He had a change of clothes in his personal locker, and the day would be easier not smelling like sweaty fur and disinfectant.

Walking through the front door he was faced with the worried squeal of Benjamin Clawhauser, the pudgy cheetah that worked dispatch. At the sight of Nick, and after airing his battle cry, Clawhauser rushed the haggard looking fox with surprising speed and scooped him up in his arms. It was certainly a sight that caught Nick off guard. 

"O-M-G, O-M-G, Nick! Are you okay? How's Judy? Oh we heard as soon as we could this morning-" he rattled off words faster than a printing press, all while shaking and squeezing a russet colored smear in his arms.

"Ben... I'm finding it hard to breathe right now."

"Oh." He unceremoniously dropped a now even rougher looking Nick. After an exaggerated breath, Nick straightened his loose tie and composed himself. Ben shook anxiously awaiting news regarding his friend's state of being.

"We're both fine, Ben," the fox exhaled, smoothing the fur around his ears. "Judy's gonna be alright." 

Ben nodded along to his words nervously. Everyone was aware of Clawhauser's lax attitude when it came to the job. He was dedicated to it and kept up with everyone's well being on top of that, but it was also apparent that he was the most emotive when it came to serious business around the ZPD. Most interpreted him as the office mascot before they started putting up recruitment posters with Judy's fuzzy face on them. It was only fitting that he would be worried sick about her. 

He still stood there painfully silent though, so Nick took up his casual stance and donned a warm smile.

"I mean it. She's already itching about when she's gonna come back." He led the tubby feline back to his desk. Rummaging amongst the usual smattering of new donut boxes Nick found a full box and offered Ben a glazed jelly. "Visitation is open later today. If you want, you can see her then." He shook the donut in his paw.

Slowly the jovial presence returned to Ben's spotted cheeks, and he accepted the sugary treat. "Okay. I think I'll do that."

The fox opened his arms in a wide move before backing out of the dispatch desk, satisfied with his colleague's return to form. He then turned in the direction of the locker room.

Ben called out behind him. "Judy sure is lucky to have you watching her back, Nick!"

Nick waved over his shoulder casually in response and rounded the corner, but the comment bit at him. He didn't think she was lucky to have a shifty scam artist at her back. He was lucky to have a wonderful, compassionate bunny on his. 

Judy would have never let someone get the drop on Nick. She was too good for that. Meanwhile, Nick had failed her in that respect. He drew her attention away in a combat scenario, and she paid for it with a bullet. If she had been in just a slightly alternate position, blam! Poof! No more Judy. And he'd be alone. 

Arriving at his locker, he stripped away his regulation blues, feeling a bit more like himself without the air that stuck to those clothes. And yet Nick still felt a little out of place in the police locker room.

Before Judy came barreling into his life, it was probably expected for Nick to reach too far into someone's pocket. How long before his luck ran out? How long would it have been before instead of an admittedly handsome fox hustling a sweet bunny for a jumbo sized popsicle, it was a hard bitten beat cop looking over a crime scene with a decidedly less alive fox at its epicenter?

Sure, Nick was smarter than most. He would have lied, cheated, and stole in order to save his own hide. But sometimes you bite the paw that feeds you, and Nick's ambition would have gotten the better of him. His pal Finnick kept him in line, but only just. Without that cute ball of fur swindling him on the street he was as good as iced. 

She had saved him, he thought. In more ways than one. And from that initial offering of friendship, Nick's feelings had began to evolve into something more. Another set of problems he didn't need right now. 

He stowed his uniform and shut the locker, leaning his head against its metal grating.

Nick would do right by that bunny. He might not deserve her attention, but she certainly had earned his admiration. And damn it, he would do anything in his power to repay Judy's kindness. 

He elected to change into his more trademark green shirt and slacks. Work could wait. Walking the beat with Judy at the rate they did racked up quite a few days of paid leave. Perhaps it was time to cut into those.

With a little pep in his step Nick pushed off the locker and headed for the admin level. Before he did anything he would need to notify Chief Bogo that his report was going to be late. And if he knew old buffalo butt, he was not going to be happy.

\---

He took it pretty well all things considered. 

Nick sat across from Chief Bogo at his desk, with the cape buffalo looking about as stern and intimidating as his usual mornings. That was to say his ever present scowl was looking a little less disappointed. 

That didn't make Nick feel any less like he was on the witness stand. Bogo looked past his reading glasses, and down at the much smaller fox.

"You're on mandatory paid leave until the paperwork clears." He focused his glowering scowl. "That includes your pending report. But I understand the reasons behind its tardiness."

Nick let out an internal sigh. He was expecting at least a sampling of brimstone to flare from the Chief's nostrils in this meeting. It was a relief that he was being so lenient.

"I appreciate your patience, sir," he parroted. Even the normally snarky Nick knew when to play it by the book, and he could tell Bogo was giving the fox considerable leeway concerning his wounded partner.

Bogo huffed, straightening some papers. "I would much rather you told me what in blazes happened out there," he paused to look blankly to the wall past Nick, "but as I understand it, you're needed elsewhere."

"Sir, about Officer Hopps."

Bogo removed his spectacles and Nick could feel the already laser focused gaze intensify even more. His superior awaited the exchange of words.

"I'm going to personally see to her recovery in my off time. She'll be my responsibility."

A sideways eyebrow was raised from the other side of the desk. Nick resisted the urge to shift in his seat. 

"Wilde, I have no doubt that bunny will be back in my precinct continuing to make me regret hiring her." His words weighed heavy on Nick's mind. He knew that Bogo valued Officer Hopps as a formidable member of the force, and although her personality may have grated against the Chief's stony exterior, he was proud of her in his own way. That didn't make his hollow regard for the rabbit any less translucent. Maybe Nick should have left her out of his statement. 

The buffalo replaced his glasses and resumed poring over the various papers spread across his desk. "It makes no difference to me what you do in your off time."

Nick nodded and hopped off the raised chair satisfied with the way the conversation went. As he left the door, Bogo raised his voice once more.

"Take care of her, Wilde." His eyes never left the papers.

Nick nodded his thanks and shut the door. He then let the collected stress of the morning out in a sigh. It really was a lucky break that had gone as well as it did. 

But now important things required the fox's attention. He promised Judy that he would pick up a change of clothes for her from her place. It was still early, so Nick figured he might as well as knock that errand out now.

'I wonder where she keeps the spare key.'

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this slower chapter wasn't too taxing. And as always all comments are welcome in my book:)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three in a day! New record!

Despite her brave face Judy was a mess inside. She had a million new things to worry about since her incapacitation. Would she ever walk again? How would her parents take the news? Was her job going to suffer?

After Nick had left it was only a matter of time before his aura of ease faded away from the rabbit's thoughts and the equally applicable unease filtered through. 

Left alone in her hospital room, Judy had nothing to do but think. She could try and rest but the worry gnawed at her gut. Before she became a police officer the only obstacles she ever had to surpass were the standards that people had set for her, the permutations that Judy had shattered with her will to realize her dream.

That challenge seemed so small compared to the days that laid ahead. Because now it wasn't a viewpoint that stood in her way. It was the chance that her own body might not heal properly; A hurdle that was almost completely out of her control.

Almost.

If Nick were here that's the word he would point out. He was good with his words. He could string them together to make someone think what he wanted, or take them apart to show the errors of a thought process. He was meticulous with his speech when he was switched on.

It hadn't taken long for Nick's words to find themselves among the most important in Judy's mind. They were partners. That kind of trust is earned through effort and exertion. Through the process of giving some to get some. 

And oddly enough, it had been the sly fox that took the first step down that road. After Judy had shanghaied Nick into the nighthowler case there had been many an opportunity for him to ditch the idealist cop at a corner and disappear into the urban jungle once more. And yet, when Bogo had asked for her badge, it was Nick that leapt to her defense. 

He would later tell her it was because he also once had a dream, one that was quashed because of what people assumed of him. In that moment it was the fox that extended the olive branch first. And since then they had been, ironically, as thick as thieves.

Thinking of Nick made Judy believe in a better tomorrow, even when her own optimism failed her.

When Nick had graduated from the academy it was one of the happiest days in Judy's life, on par with her own graduation day. It was the event that signified the day that she gained not only a partner, but someone whom she could spend every day with. 

Someone that would help her though the slow days, that would enjoy watching her make a fool of herself when she tried new things. Someone that would listen to her doubts and reassure her of her strength. An animal that made her be better than what she ever thought she could be. Almost like a-

Judy stopped herself before the thought could crystallize. A wave of heat fell over her as her body caught up with her mind. Her heart skipped a few beats and her cheeks grew hot. She was suddenly thankful that she had been left alone in her room. 

'Where was that thought going?' a questioning bunny voice in her head thought.

But she did know where it going. Had she meant it like that?

"I really should get some rest. I'm starting to think a little too fast," she rationalized.

Judy adjusted her pillows to lay more flat and rested her head alongside them. Her thoughts were getting ahead of her, straying into uncharted territory. It would be wise to see to her real problems with a fresh outlook. Better than agonizing over fabricated ones.

'Us bunnies. So emotional.'

\---

When had Nick showed up later in the afternoon with a change of clothes for Judy It had started raining. In the downtown section of the city that was a rare occurrence, and it was a phenomenon that irked the fox to no end. If his afternoon had been as simple as he had planned perhaps the weather change would have had a lesser effect on him.

As unlikely as it would have sounded, getting into Judy's apartment was no small feat. Not many of the other tenants would have trusted an unknown fox lurking in their building asking for admission to someone else's apartment. Nick had been tempted to jimmy the lock on her door, and he would have scaled the fire escape if he hadn't found the spare key under the outdated soda machine down the hall.

It might've been a taste of the former life he had been so used to, dusting off the old toolkit in his brain. But he had promised a certain bunny that he would behave, so the spare would have to do. Nick counted himself lucky that he didn't have to speak to her old coot of a landlady. That old armadillo had claws.

Setting himself down in the chairs set in Judy's hospital room, Nick exhaled loudly. "You would not believe the traffic on the way over here," he said wringing his tail of moisture. "Crazy town banana pants."

Judy had her focus on a simple piece of pulp fiction that had been left in the drawers in the side of the room. It was ragged and worn, a testament to the mileage it accrued over the years. The more Nick thought of it the more morbid it seemed.

"You don't drive though," she chirped, her stern gaze scanning a new line of dialogue.

Nick pat the side of his head in an attempt to loose any ill gotten water from his ears.

"And I never thought I would see your cute little nose poking into a trashy romance novel, Carrots."

A brief glance was stolen from the concentrating bunny as she looked up from her book. It was a look of quiet dismissal and a small hint of a raised eyebrow. 

"Anyways," Nick continued, "the inclement weather makes it even more impressive that I managed to keep your clothes dry."

He flourished his leg and slid a simple exercise backpack from behind the chair, unzipped it, and removed her outfit: a green blouse and a pair of worn jeans.

"You don't have much of a variety in your wardrobe. I tried my darnedest but it looks like 'country bunny chiqué' is what we're working with." Nick held up the shirt and eyed it with an exaggerated look of criticism. "We should fix that when you're free of this place." He stowed the clothes and left the pack on the table.

Judy's ears perked at the suggestion. As cynical as he was, It might be fun to try out clothes with a friend. She might learn something new about her snarky fox.

"And what would you know about fashion, Mr. Wilde?" She folded the book over in her lap. "The only thing I've seen you wear is loudly patterned shirts with a tie." She pointed the book to his green button up, a playful look of disdain dancing across her face. "Hardly fashionable," she finished.

Nick smirked with half lidded eyes and straightened his tie. "Laugh all you want rabbit, I'm handsome just the way I am." He moved to the various bits of tech resting behind the bed and gave a squinting look. "How can you stand all these doodads and their noise?" he asked rhetorically.

With the pretense of small talk out of the way, Judy moved to the ideas at the forefront of her mind. "What did Bogo say?"

Nick was fidgeting with the EKG machine at the bedside, clicking buttons and turning knobs. "I'm on mandatory leave until the majority of the paperwork is cleared." He flipped a switch which changed the display from a cursory dot to wavy lines. "Oh and he misses you very much. Told me to pass the message personally."

A twitch of humor edged Judy's mouth. "He must be really upset about what happened." Nick caught the words. It was a serious inquiry, but veiled in a lighthearted tone.

Nick met her eyes before unplugging a stray wire and leaning over the bed rail towards her. "Oh yeah, he's more upset at you than anything. If he had it his way you'd be filing reports out of bed." After a low beep sounded from the machinery he brushed his paws and shoved them in his pockets, his curiosity satisfied.

Nick knew that Judy was painfully aware of his brand of humor. It wasn't always a deflection from what he really thought, like most people assumed. 

Judy ignored the mischievous smile from her cohort. After a period of silence Nick could tell that something was eating at her. Even after everything that happened it was unusual for her to be this quiet. It could only mean that she was thinking. And when Judy started thinking, things got dangerous.

"Penny for your thoughts, Carrots."

She hung her head a little before her eyes found him with a surprising amount of concern, Nick noted. "Nick, I'm not sure staying with you is such a good idea."

It was an unexpected idea to be sure, but not one that had been out of the question. He was caught lightly on his back footpaw before standing straight, an arm clasped behind his back like he did, ready for her reasoning.

"Why?"

Judy held her head high, though her ears drooped. "I don't want to be a burden on you right now, Nick. Not after what happened."

He sighed and averted his gaze, looking past her with a patient expression. He began to tap his foot, a tick he had picked up from all the long work nights spent with his bunny companion. "I already told you, it's no trouble. I have enough space for the both of us, and I want to help."

Judy was adamant. "I don't want you to feel responsible for me out of some misplaced sense of guilt. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Nick stood with his head to his side. He knew she would try to crawl out of his offer of asylum. She was too proud.

"Carrots, I didn't offer up my place because I was guilty." It wasn't a blatant lie, but it still pained him to do so no matter how little of a smokescreen it really was. But that was only partly the reason. "I did it because you're my best friend. And I would do anything to make sure that you were okay."

She frowned and turned to the window. It wasn't impractical for her to think of Nick's desire for space before her own needs. It was irritably selfless, but very much like Judy.

"You know, if you thought of yourself half as much as you think of others, you would probably be living in a much nicer place," the fox offered, "and I would still be pestering to help you."

Judy nodded, knowing he was right. If there was anything that she regretted imparting on Nick from time to time, it was her unbridled altruism.

"Besides," he postured, looking whimsically off to the window. "A very wise bunny once told me 'there's no shame in accepting help every now and then'." He smiled at her sideways.

She returned his smile with one of her own. "Yeah, well..." She turned to him with a more steely look in her eyes, one that complimented her smile. "I look forward to the days when you have to listen to my every word, telling me how great I am."

Nick crossed his arms, his smile widening to a grin of eager anticipation. If there was one trait that he was glad was rubbing off on her it was his playful snark. It made his ego swell to dangerous proportions. 

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Carrots. You'll find that I can be very charming on my own when I apply myself."

Inwardly, Judy hoped that was so. Outwardly, she just beamed a look of gratitude.

"Now," Nick chuckled, joining her side. "Tell me about this terrible book you've been reading."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this satisfies my quota of warm fuzzies for the day!   
> Let me know what you think.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been looking through my back written chapters and we're not even halfway through! Hope you're all enjoying the ride as I am!

Without work or Judy to keep him busy, Nick found his day to day being very bare bones. He could only visit at a certain time, which was especially brief when it came to inpatient care. So the days before her checkout date were spent with not much to do. The hospital staff had been kind enough to allow an extended "stay" the night of the shooting, but now that Judy was on the road to recovery they couldn't wait to shoo away her foxy cohort.

After leaving Zootopia General, Nick found himself wandering towards his apartment, though it was taking longer than his usual walks. The rain had stopped, leaving the puddles to drain off into the sewers or congregate along the side walks. The tiptoeing humidity lowered the comfort factor exponentially.

Nick lived on the edge of downtown, in an area where the urban architecture started to lean towards industrial utility in terms of building design. It took some effort to get from work to home, but it wasn't a problem on most days. More often than not Nick would cover the distance in half an hour tops. Tonight though, he needed to clear his mind.

The night was fast approaching. The final minutes of daylight played out their song over the horizon when the fox managed to wander into the park a few blocks from home. It was the park that Judy found Nick in after her blunder of a press conference about the savage predators. After her "self imposed exile" Nick had forgiven her shortsightedness under a bridge he was fond of frequenting. Now he found himself stopped over that bridge, leaning over its brick edge. He reminisced of that time, and how far the pair had come since then. They were closer than ever before, and looking back on that emotional moment made Nick's checks redden a bit more now.

Was it wrong of his mind to draw threads further? It wasn't like their relationship had been strained after that. They had worked together reliably. In fact, their opposing fields of expertise complimented one another.

Outside of work Judy spent the majority of her time with Nick. They visited theme parks where Nick poked fun at the egregious height requirement for roller coasters, and then quietly brooded over when she dragged him onto the rides meant for kits. They spent late nights at her place where the older fox educated the country bunny on old school horror movies, leading to times when he got more scared than her, hiding behind her bunny ears from forthcoming frights.

They had even been invited into the fold of Mr. Big's family, with Judy being the godmother to Fru Fru's first child, and Nick being forgiven for his past "misunderstandings" as they called it. 

Judy had almost in the course of a week given Nick a new lease on life, and a confidant that he shared his innermost thoughts with. Most of them anyway.

How could he not develop an infatuation?

'Its a passing phase', Nick thought as he tapped a claw along the stone wall.

It had been a long while since his last relationship, if that's what he could call his growing predilection to Judy's company. Even if she felt the same way about him, they were of two different worlds. It wasn't exactly standard fare for a predator and prey to pair up.

"The fox and the bunny," he sighed out loud. His eyes dropped to the ground below to a familiar lawn chair, again feeling the warm fuzziness of memory. "Grow up, Wilde."

He shook his head. Nick had come here to clear his mind and ended up putting his thoughts in a blender and drinking the mixture. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed up Finnick. He could really use an actual drink.

\---

One of the nurses was kind enough to ferry Judy around the hospital in a wheel chair. As the nurse had put it: "you looked like you could use a change of scenery."

The nurse had brought the bunny to a lounge on the upper floors of the hospital and after much prodding and assurance that Judy could manage on her own, the nurse left Judy for some free time outside of her ascribed room. It was a large room with plenty of space littered with easy chairs and tables which were occupied by mammals of various species. Ahead of all of it was a large viewing window faced towards the city. The vast expanse of shimmering glass drew Judy in where she took her seat by its edge.

It was beautiful. Being able to see the sprawling expanse of buildings compiled of the unique architecture that downtown Zootopia composed of, it reminded her of the first time she experienced the city.

Growing up in Bunny Burrow had its own unique charm. The closeness of neighbors that went to each other's parties, the farms that provided for one another. It was a special experience to tend to the land and make your own way. But when Judy saw that skyline she knew this was her home. She had known she belonged in the city with the bustle of others trying to realize a dream. The city had made itself special in its own way. 'Where anyone can be anything,' she thought.

The city had its underbelly though. While some were of a more gray moral alignment like Mr. Big's "family", others were not so kind. Bellwether came to mind with her insane scheme of prey supremacy over the predator species. It was through sheer dumb luck that Judy and Nick had been able to thwart her. 

Her and Nick. Together. Despite all of his humble protests, Judy wouldn't have been able to break the case without Nick's involvement. Because of that, she gladly admitted that she owed him everything. She owed him one more for keeping her alive. She knew Nick didn't see it that way. She even understood it to a degree. If he had been hurt like she was... she would be devastated. Judy would never blame him no matter how he rationalized it to himself. She could never feel that way about him. Now the way she felt about him, that was beginning to seem more complex.

Her first blush of Nick Wilde, the real Nick Wilde, was he was a sleazy con artist only looking out for number one. Once Judy had gotten to see through to him, she saw a fox where the world decided his place before he even had a chance for himself.

Then she really saw into his life. Someone that would lay his life on the line for a friend. And that bunny would happily do the same for him. Judy couldn't help but smile when she thought of him.

And yet there was more to Nick Wilde still. Now, the way Judy had started to see him was crystallizing. Like the pieces were already there, just waiting for someone to open their big bunny eyes and see what was right in front of her.

Judy clutched at her beaten and worn book. 'Maybe there is something else there.'

"Hi," a little voice from her side started. Judy's ears twitched to the greeting, where she turned to find a young mole dressed in a regular hospital gown with the biggest glasses Judy had seen an a smaller mammal. "I'm Martin," he said.

Judy was surprised at his candor. Not many of the smaller species just greeted any random animal on the street. Then again, they weren't on the street. 

She put on a half smile and used her best "friendly police officer" voice.

"Hello there. I'm Judy." His eyes beamed at her with the gleaming quirkiness only a child could muster.

"I'm nine. I have asthma. Why are you here?"

'Well,' she thought. 'That's one way to do it.'

Judy looked back to her leg, kept stable wrapped up in a cast. She felt the second wound at her gut. 'The kid gloves,' she reasoned.

"I'm a police officer. I was hurt, so I'm here to get better." She hid her concern for his innocence with that winning smile she always wore in public. She was good at looking happy, the precinct mascot they called her, but this kid was giving her a run with his candidness. 

"I had a bad attack so I'm here to get better too." His beady eyes traced her from ear to paw. "Why are you up here?"

That was an unusual request. The cop in her said 'this is a public area, patients are given free reign'. The sensible, lovable Judy recognized his innocent curiosity though.

"I...suppose I'm here to think," she gave a quick glance again to the skyline. "Clear my head," she said, albeit more quietly.

"What about?"

Judy scratched the scruff of her neck. "My friend."

"Your boyfriend?"

Judy eyes clicked to the little mole, almost dropping her book in the process.

"Um, no. He's just...a friend."

"Then why are reading that book?" He pointed to the pulp romance novel. On its cover an artistically rendered zebra and female wolf stared at each other hungrily from behind Judy's gray paw.

"My mom says only girls who like someone read those."

She was dumbfounded to be sure. And anybody with the IQ of a potted plant could see that she looked like someone had heard her darkest secret.

Sputtering, she let the autopilot flip on, letting the duty side of her brain take over.

"Where is your mom?"

Martin shrugged and pointed to a mouse doctor talking with another mole. "She's over there."

"You should go see her before she gets worried about you."

He nodded, happily at least. "Okay. Bye Judy!" He turned and waddled away leaving the bunny relieved, if not a little flustered.

Was it that obvious? Was it something even a child could see? One always heard of the things children could see without the cynicism of reality to cloud their vision. Maybe that the case here.

Judy sighed her eyes closed, tapping her book on the bridge of her nose. She would need a little more time to think this one over.

\---

Day three without Judy rolled by even slower. It was like waiting out a bad cold. After his quiet night out with Finnick, Nick had returned home without so much as a buzz. He was disappointed in his reluctance to get drunk, but reasoned it was for the best. He didn't need to prepare for Judy's return to form by nursing a hangover.

Nick found himself partly regretting the decision when his lack of sleep started becoming a factor. He hadn't told Judy about his restless nights since she was injured. She had enough to worry about as it was with her recovery. 

Since the shooting, Nick tossed and turned at night, finding his usually comforting bed to be unfamiliar and foreign against himself. His body grew tense, his fur bristled, and his mind worked faster than it did during the day. 

When morning came it was usually followed by quiet relief, and moderate discontent from the tired fox. Maybe psych-eval wasn't as bad an idea as it seemed. His last amount of comforting rest was at Judy's bedside in the hospital, and that certainly wasn't healthy, he thought. He brushed it off regardless.

The lonely fox spent the majority of his morning staring at his ceiling from his couch. With not much to do it seemed like the logical course of action; to sit and reflect on his thoughts while he still had the privacy to do so. 

Nick was glad to offer up his apartment as living space for his friend. In fact, he was excited. Aside from the daily regimen of physical therapy, the time between the fox and bunny would be spent together enjoying each other's company. It was going to be nice. But it would also mean that they would spend almost every waking hour together. The two shared everything with each other, but the fox knew even Judy had her limits. 

Still, it was some kind of relief to know they would have a break. With the way the pair worked it was a surprise Judy hadn't collapsed from exhaustion or malnutrition. If Nick wasn't there to keep a watchful eye on her, she surely would have. 

"And all it took was for her to get shot." He spoke the words with no shortage of disparity in himself. "Ha."

'The guilt would subside,' he told himself. Acting as caregiver was undoubtedly some sort of penance no matter how he presented it to Judy. She would never blame him, she had told him so. But that couldn't stop Nick from blaming himself.

He waved his paw above him, as if to clear the bugs in his head. The fox figured it might help to get some food in him. At least that would keep him busy. After that a shower would be nice.

Kicking off the couch to his footpaws he made for the kitchen, removing pots off the cabinet hooks. He thought of cooking for Judy. Nick had never been one for the culinary arts. His most complex dish was a bug patty on bread. He had only ever seen Judy start her day with what was provided at the station, and that usually consisted of a bagel the size of her head. Nick had always tried to convince her to try the doughnuts but she always rebuffed him. 

'I wouldn't want to ruin my appetite so early in the day,' she would chime. 'Besides, if I'm gonna keep up with you I have to watch my figure.'

'Yes you do,' was always his coy response. Even then a lilt of flirtation entered his tone.

The lizard part of his brain still lingered on the more 'personal' thoughts of Judy. It was more antsy anticipation than anything else, but that small sliver still whispered the deeper ideas. It was hard to turn it off.

The daily news played from the tv on low volume. Nick wasn't keen on keeping track of the goings on in the world, but sometimes for his job it was necessity. 'Must be a slow day everywhere' Nick thought to himself. Why did everything seem to stop when he had free time?

He was even so desperate for distraction that despite his order of leave still in effect Nick kept a police scanner dialed into the traditional frequency that filled the corner of his place. It wasn't as if he couldn't respond, or even if he was willing to without his "trusty sidekick" as he liked to call her. But even that droning of sound provided no interesting chatter. 

With no escape from his inner workings Nick was left to ponder scenarios in his mind while preparing his meal. What kind of life could he give her? They could be expected to work together still, but how would things be different? And if everyone knew, how would they react?

'No steps taken towards even asking, and you're already imagining your entire life with her,' Slick added. 'You're worse than a pup turning thirteen.' He slapped a patty in the pan and turned on the gas.

Argue as he might, the logic was sound. Nick's self doubt was winning out. Hard for it not to when that was the loudest thing in the room. He tried to fight the implications his thoughts made for himself, but his crush was only deepening. 

'That's all this is, Wilde. A crush.' Slick was persistent in his reasoning. He was always full of excuses. The cynical side of Nick's brain always skipped the small talk and went straight to nuclear solutions. But was it so bad to entertain the notions?

With his bug burger nearly singed to tastelessness Nick shut off the gas and fixed up the patty in a sandwich. 

He stared at the dish on a plate before his growling stomach won out and he pushed aside his lack of appetite. In a form of semi-agreement with Slick he decided if it was a crush, the best way to deal with his busy mind was to stay busy. 

Finishing his burger Nick decided a shower could wait. A morning jog would be enough to clear his thoughts. Plus it might take the edge off his pent up energy.

The fox slid on some breezy shorts and left, locking the door behind him.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doubt, doubt, doubt, angst, angst, angst. I promise it's looking up for the pair! We'll get there:)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a longer chapter here. Well, probably a lot longer, but hey it's how the pieces fit together in my head, all in one shot. I promised a little fluffiness and I hope I deliver without making a fool of myself here heh heh. Enjoy!

Check out day. Nick had made a concentrated effort to show up early to pick Judy up. And, despite his sarcastic eagerness towards the early morning, the rabbit was surprised. Not to mention also a little proud at the same time. Nick really had turned his life around after the academy. She hadn't known the real reasons behind his early mornings.

The doctors gave Judy the go ahead, and the do's and don'ts of her rehabilitation. It was standard fare: no stress, walk only on her healthy leg when acceptable, etcetera, etcetra. Daily exercise was necessary but she was told not to push herself otherwise the bone might heal wrong. It was a hapless handicap to the eager bunny, but Nick was there to curb her reckless enthusiasm. The doctor prescribed her some anti-pain medication and sent her on her way, fox in tow.

Judy kept her confidence despite the somewhat foreboding warning. She was happy to be free of the sterilized hallways. For her bunny nose it was a constant annoyance feeling numb from medicine that wasn't even plugged into her arm. The fresh air would be a welcome change along with a return to a routine that didn't involve wheelchairs. They had a busy day ahead of them, and if there was anything Judy loved it was a busy day. Once the pair reached the hospital front they hailed a taxi.

First stop was Judy's apartment. Nick was understandably reluctant to visit again without his fluffy partner. The neighbors were already suspicious of his constant comings and goings, and he was sure his fox ears caught a whisper of gossip concerning the pair of bunny and fox being of a more "personal" company.

'If only, if only,' was Nick's thought.

Standing in her cramped living space, Nick kept paws in pocket after Judy had to swat them away from packing her clothes. He couldn't help if he poked fun at her carrot covered pajamas.

"You know, this would go a bit faster if you let me help," he said leaning his head between her standing ears. It was a cute gesture he regularly used to garner her attention.

She looked up at him, pushing his muzzle away. "I can pack for myself, nosy fox. Besides, it's been too long since I've been allowed to do anything for myself."

Nick clasped his paws beside his face in a misty eyed expression. "I promise I won't make fun of your sweet wittle PJs, Carrots," he said before a sly glint flashed over his emerald gaze. "Unless you think I might find something too personal."

Her ears perked in embarrassment before she pushed his mocking form away again with a free paw. 

"You know that's not what I meant you perv." Inwardly, Judy hoped she hid the blush on her cheeks.

"I was talking about your sock collection. What were you thinking?" The fox crossed his arms behind his back, satisfied with his jest.

She ignored him for the most part. Still, it was nice to have company during the day. She had missed him yesterday when he hadn't shown for visiting hours. 'Busy cleaning' was his excuse, but Judy could always tell when he hid something from her. She hoped he would share if it was really concerning him.

"Where do you even live, Nick?" She turned and raised a snarky eyebrow in that half lidded look she had when she thought she was being funny. At least, Nick saw it that way. "For a while I thought you bunked with Finnick."

He was fidgeting with the sparse trinkets on her corner desk. He guffawed. "That diva needs as much space as he can get. A night with me and I would be mauled before the sun came up."

"Is that how all the ladies treat you?" It was an unexpected rib at the russet colored devil. His pride flared at the bunny's sharpening humor. Judy continued packing her laundry.

"Sounds like somebunny's a little jealous of this sly fox." He straightened his tie to hide his obvious probe at her intentions. His sideways glance was less subtle.

"In your dreams, Wilde." 'In my dreams maybe' she internalized.

She froze at the thought. 'Wait, what?'

Nick rolled his eyes with a smile. After rearranging Judy's office supplies, and snatching another pen, he turned to face his startled companion before blushing at the sight of her.

"Um, Carrots?" A nonchalant cough followed as he averted his gaze, suddenly finding the wallpaper very interesting.

The bunny broke from her trance and eyed the fox suspiciously. "What?"

He pointed a finger in her direction, still looking anywhere but towards her.

She then noticed what she held up in front of her. She almost stumbled over backwards trying to hide them in her suitcase.

"If you want to model swimsuits we're still gonna go shopping later," Nick joked trying to break the shift in the air.

Judy just sat kneeling before her dresser drawers, ears flattened with embarrassment. Her cheeks were so red she thought she might explode.

Nick spoke again, this time reinforced with a grin struggling to smother his laughter. "They're cute really. I like the hearts."

"Shut up."

\---

They left her place shortly thereafter. Walking down the sidewalk, Judy was avoiding eye contact after her embarrassing display. Nick again failed to staunch his playful quips at her for amusement. Eventually he stayed his comments and made for lighter conversation, much to Judy's relief.

"Past downtown, on the outskirts of Sahara Square," Nick explained, dragging a pink floral patterned suitcase behind him. Judy hopped alongside him keeping her leg elevated with a pair of crutches.

"Oh. Near the park, huh?" She remembered the bridge all too well as a fluttery feeling warmed her belly. Perhaps that was the bullet wound, she joked to herself.

"That's the one." Nick pointed a confirming finger. "The neighborhood might seem a little...urban. But it has its charm." He looked upwards with a wry smile. "Kinda like me, actually." Judy rolled her eyes as they continued.

True, the surrounding area was a little rundown, not in disrepair, simply put its heyday had passed. Now it was home to a few of the less savory types that Zootopia offered. Hyenas, weasels, and handsome foxes as Nick so eloquently put it. He knew the lingo though. And as a result he was welcomed with open arms, friends included.

Judy smiled. It was an intriguing implication Nick's knowing of everyone. She used to assume his "fan base" consisted of bruisers and cheats, but now she was inclined to believe in kinder-hearted associates. 

"No ones gonna be concerned with you having a cop around?"

"Little bunny like you? You might be the face of ZPD upstate, but down here you're just a friend of a fox." He winked. "Besides, Fin will put the screws to anyone that messes with his pals."

"Finnick has friends?" she questioned, a melodramatic expression of surprise painted on her face. 

Nick smirked sideways at the bunny. "He might seem all rough and tumble, but on the inside he's all heart." He stopped momentarily. "Don't tell him I said that."

Judy had to laugh at that. "I'm sure that's high praise coming from his 'papa'."

"You'll never let that go will you?"

"Not on your life, fox."

When they reached the corner Nick flagged a taxi. 

The drive to Nick's neighborhood was a quiet one with Judy still a little embarrassed about her unsubtle handling of her unmentionables in front of Nick. She was still nervous about staying at his place and hoped that she wouldn't do anything that stupid in front of him again. Lord knows there would be plenty of opportunities in the coming days.

Looking at the passing streets Judy noticed the quiet change of scenery from polished windows and neat masonry, to cracked sidewalks and shabby food places. She wasn't one to judge a book by its cover, but this place didn't seem as friendly as Nick made it out to be. He must have noticed her frown because he gave a reassuring squeeze to her paw.

"It's not as bad as it looks." His smirk was gratifying and filled her with a spark of courage. "You'll see."

Judy nodded with a new smile. If he believed that, she believed in him, and that was enough to erase her doubts. 

The cab stopped in front of an unremarkable tenement building. The fox unloaded the luggage before paying the driver and sending him on his way. From where Judy stood it looked serviceable enough. The structure was red brick, weathered with age that gave it a slight charm to the country bunny. It was certainly different, she thought.

Nick led her into a small entrance way, complete with standard mail boxes made of tarnished brass, cracked wallpaper, and chipped floorboards that had seen their fair share of scuffing. Further down the extending hallway was an old freight elevator that creaked when the she stepped onto it. Judy turned to Nick who stood precariously out of the hanging deathtraps range with a smug look.

"This toaster box hasn't fallen before has it?"

He stepped past the old pull over gate shutting it behind him.

"Not while I've been here, but there's a first time for everything."

Judy spit her tongue at him which drew a chuckle from the fox, who shifted the suitcase to his side.

"How far up are you?" she inquired. Nick danced his fingers over the lacquered paneling of the floor buttons. Most of the dull metal studs hung crooked, tilted every which way from numerous years of use. Some of the buttons were even missing, leaving loose wires dangling in the empty spaces. 

Nick grinned, wobbling his head side to side in empty contemplation. He pressed the last button. "Tippy top, Carrots. All the way."

The elevator shook with a start and began to sail upwards. Judy struggled quietly to maintain her balance amidst the rumbling creak of shifting gears and sudden jerks of the carriage, while Nick swayed expertly on his footpaws back and forth to the shaky motion.

At the top Nick pulled open the gate to a relatively long hall with equally sour looking walls. Four faintly painted doors, two on each side, stood out against the hues of brown and sickly yellow. Judy followed Nick to the last one on the right. He fiddled with his keys momentarily before twisting the simple knob and pushed the door inwards, ushering his curious partner in.

She was greeted by a plain wall running leftwards to the open space of the living room. Judy was impressed. Nick's home was large even for a fox sized occupant, she noted. The living space was as large as two, maybe three of her apartment, furnished with a simple black canvas couch and a worn easy chair sat across from a moderately sized TV. Behind the couch to her right was a kitchen with all amenities one needed for various cooking habits. To the left a short hall led to a bathroom with the door open, and what she assumed was Nick's room, which was closed.

But the biggest point of interest was the warehouse-like window that took up most of the opposite wall. It could probably light up the entire apartment well enough without any lights switched on. On the opposite street was an identical building of brick with a giant advertisement sign too big to read the most of it, all decked out in purple neon.

Judy stood there drinking it all in. It was humbly furnished sure, but it was large enough to fit a solid portion of her family. How anyone could have so much space to themselves was beyond her.

Nick strolled past her, skidding the wheeled suitcase to a stop by the couch before turning to catch his partner rooted to the spot. He smiled softly at her awed face.

"Make yourself at home, Carrots. Me casa es su casa." He waved to the entirety of his domicile.

Judy finally let her right brain win over long enough to meet his eyes. "You've been holding out on me, Wilde," she said raising an eyebrow and smirking.

Nick offered his arm at her side which she promptly accepted, allowing herself to be guided to the couch. It was large enough that she had to hop slightly to reach up it. They sat down and Nick raised his arms expectantly. 

"Well go on, ask."

She had so many questions. How had he come across this place? How could he afford it? Did he get lucky? Did he kill a guy for it? Did he build it himself? When it came to Nick Wilde, he was full of surprises. 

Amidst the blur of all her questions she managed to utter one out.

"How?"

Nick crossed his arms behind his head leaning back into the couch, assuredly pleased with himself. "$200 a day, since I was twelve. I didn't spend it all on fancy shirts," he said, pulling languidly at the loose cloth on his chest.

Judy rolled her eyes. Nick might have turned over a new leaf, but keeping a place like this from her was a hard thing to nail down. Though she hadn't exactly pressed to visit him at his place. She always offered hers, and he always accepted without hesitation.

"Really Nick, where did you get this place?" She gave it another once over. Her faced grew another awed smile. "It's rather...classy."

"Are you implying that I don't carry an air of class?" He gave her a teasing frown before replacing it with his usual smirk.

Judy leaned over to lay against the couch arm. "You couldn't have afforded this on the salary we pull in." She playfully kicked at him with her good leg.

Nick pinched one of her toes causing her to laugh at the tickle. "I wasn't always dressed up in snazzy blue like you were." He leaned forward and furrowed his brow casually. "Plus, I'm very charming."

She pushed his muzzle away with her foot. "Fine. You'll tell me one way or another, fox. I have my ways."

"I look forward to you trying, sweetheart."

Judy sighed lightly. Nick only ever kept secrets to intentionally bug her. To his credit he would eventually relent, but not until it drove Judy out of her gourd.

Judy sat up with all of her renewed enthusiasm pointed in the fox's direction. "What's next on the agenda?" She was full of energy after being cooped up in the hospital for so long. Nick quietly wondered if all rabbits were like this.

He stood heading for his room, continuing the conversation.

"There's still the matter of fixing your country fried look, if you're up for it." Nick could feel the squinting gaze drilling through the back of his head as he opened and shut his door behind him.

Judy shook an angry finger towards his room. "I'll have you know I have a varied wardrobe of clothes that I rarely wear. Besides, I usually wear my uniform the majority of the week."

"Uh huh, sure," he shouted.

Judy shook her head and gave the place another once over. After some thought she noticed familiar similarities to a place she had seen in one of her favorite shows.

"Hey Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever seen Beardevil?"

He poked his head from around the corner before stepping out. His ensemble was unremarkable except for his blatant lack of a shirt. Judy's ears stood up in surprise and his quizzical look was only matched by her expression of sudden curiosity.

Bunny standards be damned, Judy found her eyes lingering longer than she thought. The fur that graced his lower face trailed onto his chest which was a softer cream color that reached his inner form, and the fur on his chest gathered into a ruffled tuft that pointed slightly outward. Judy could tell that the academy had once again worked its magic, whipping the seemingly slacker fox into acceptable shape. Not enough for him to be on the cover of a sports magazine, but enough to force Judy to give a double take.

It wasn't until Nick made a comment that Judy realized how long she had been silent. "You uh, got some of your tongue on my floor," he pointed jokingly.

In the absence of coherent thought she mumbled what she had prepared before she was dumbfounded. "Buh-Beardevil. Mammal without fear?" She tried to stay the course she had set but curiosity won out. "Why are shirtless?"

Nick looked down, well aware of how he looked. "Oh. It's a scorcher out there today so I thought I would change." He took a step out, paws on his hips. "Why? Like what you see?"

Thank god he was still wearing pants, she thought. She composed herself.

Judy tried to force some sass into her voice, hoping to show she hadn't been startled by the half nude form of her friend and coworker. "I thought you were supposed to be charming?"

The fox pointed, punctuated with a wink. "You haven't seen me sweep you off your feet yet."

Again Judy shook her head, this time hard enough for her ears to flop. "Put your shirt on, Wilde. We're watching Beardevil."

He laughed and headed off to his room. Judy let out a hot breath and wondered if it was a good idea to spend the day on the couch with him. Casual intimacy was never a point of contention for the pair. Leaning on one another's lap during a movie, tugging at an ear in jest, it was all in good fun. But it usually involved both being fully clothed. She hadn't had any ulterior motives beforehand, but now the thoughts from earlier were seeming more and more...attractive.

Internally she pleaded to get a hold of herself. She might have argued that it was natural for her to feel some sort of attraction to a guy who had been the picture of perfect for her. But this was Nick! The fox that cracked jokes, played pranks at work, complained about boring cases, mused about how there might be a conspiracy in city hall. 

But also the same fox that made her laugh, comforted her with a hug, shared long nights at work just to keep her company, playfully covered her eyes when they watched scary movies, cared for her when she was sick, spent almost every waking moment with her...

At that moment, Judy wondered if it really was a bad idea at all.

\---

It was long past midnight when the credits rolled on the final episode of Beardevil. Judy sat up, fidgeting excitedly from the rerun of her favorite show. She turned to the fox at her side, one arm draped over the back of the couch. 

"So?" she inquired happily.

Nick scratched the scruff of his neck and tilted his head towards her.

"Hrrm," he murmured.

Judy's ears fell. "You didn't like it?"

The fox let the sound linger in the air before he chimed up with a small smile aimed at the sullen bunny.

"I loved it." His smile grew to a grin when the light returned to Judy's eyes with a resounding fist punching the air.

"Yes! I knew you would! That was awesome right?" 

Nick held his smile just watching her go on about the excellent fight choreography, the relatable characters, and interesting story. He was happy to see a familiar flicker of excitement return to her features, one that made her look so alive despite the time of night. It gave Nick that warm feeling once more, and this time he didn't work to deny it.

Judy would have kept going if she hadn't noticed the particular absence of Nick's pinpoint sarcasm in the apartment.

She turned to him once more. "You okay, Nick?"

He stretched his arms above him until he heard the pop in his back. He met her eyes again. "Me, I'm just peachy, Carrots." He gestured at her. "It really is a treat to watch you get so excited over something again."

She playfully punched his shoulder. "You big lug. You could stand to show some more excitement every now and then."

Nick held his paws upwards with a shrug. "Can't do it. You suck all of the energy outta me as is." He raised an eyebrow. "Besides, I have my fun. It's just a different brand than yours."

Judy whirled her ears around so they stood out of her eyes and crossed her arms.

"And what exactly is your idea of fun, Mr. Wilde?" she teased.

"All the fun I need," he whirled a finger around her eyes and poked her pink nose, "is right here, Carrots."

She blushed. It was flattering to think that his happiest moments were spent with her. At times she often thought the same of him. They never did much else in their free time, but that didn't dampen their spirits. It was a cheerful sort of realization.

Judy pulled her injured leg on to the couch, leaning back into Nick's chest for support.

"We don't do much else besides the job do we?" she sighed wistfully. 

Nick looked past her drooping ears to the window. The neon sign was sending its brightly soft light into the room, bathing it in a warm purple glow. It was a few shades brighter than Judy's eyes he observed.

"What else is there to do in this town?" He laughed. "I get enough of a kick chasing after you, Officer Hopps." He tapped the top of her head to her name. It turned into a soft, emphatic scratch of her ears.

"Hmm." She nuzzled into his shirt. He was warm and fuzzy, and smelled kind of nice too. "Chasing after me," she said dreamily. She felt comfortable resting against him, and it wasn't long before sleep tugged at her eyelids.

Nick too was enjoying the company. He cocked his head as she began to snooze softly in his fuzzy arms, watching the rhythmic rise of her breathing go from sleepy resignation to steady and quiet breaths. The familiar pull of sleep swam through him as well, as Nick slid comfortably into the couch with his bunny lass providing the happy warmth over and into his chest. And for the first time in days, he felt at peace enough to let sleep carry him away with her.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's my driving? More to come soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank all of you wonderful people for the positive feedback! It makes a world of difference with my reluctance to upload my story:)
> 
> Anyway, let's crack on!

The bright sunlight eventually riled Nick awake. 

He had slept soundly last night, better than the past few nights, mostly in thanks to a certain bunny's company. Judy still lay on his chest from last night, blissfully oblivious to the bright morning sun.

Nick brushed one of her drooping ears out of her face, and Judy's sleeping smile grew wider at his touch. It was refreshing in a way to see her as disorganized in sleep as he was. It swept away some of the veneer she usually carried, made her seem almost normal, though the fox knew she was anything but.

For a while he just let the situation play out. She looked so peaceful now. Her breathing was soft and even, and ever so close. It sent a puff of warmth through his fur, occasionally nuzzling further into Nick's warming presence. Her cute nose wiggled slightly to her thoughts, thoughts Nick hoped he was part of in some way. It was the most adorable she had ever looked to him.

Eventually she stirred with another head rub against Nick's chest. She sat her chin on him, dreamily looking to her snuggle buddy with slow eyes. 

She groaned lightly as her sight adjusted. It soon focused on the blurry fox with a lack of initial surprise. 

"Nick."

"Present," he said, his expression resigned to feigned guilt.

Judy gave a quick glance around when her current standing sunk in. Comically, she rolled off the couch with all the famous speed of her species.

Nick reached after her with immediate concern, calling out to her.

She stood abruptly with a wide eyed frown pasted on her muzzle. "I'm so sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep on you that was unprofessional and-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Nick stood with his paws out in a calming manner. "There's no need to get all wound up here, jackrabbit."

"I'm not a jackrabbit, jackrabbits are a species of hare-" he cut her off again, this time with a paw on her shoulder and a finger to her lips.

"Carrots. Shush." He smiled worriedly. "I didn't mind it and I'm not offended. There's no need to get all procedural on me." He moved his paw from her mouth to her other shoulder.

His eyes had a calming effect on Judy. She acclimated for a second just taking them in, his big emerald eyes. She nodded slowly with a sheepish half smile. "Sorry."

Nick cocked his head and pat her on the cheek. "Think nothing of it." He turned and strutted to the kitchen. "Breakfast? I'm starving."

After letting the worry leave her body, Judy followed suit grabbing one of her crutches lying by the couch for support. Nick busied himself with a pan and the fridge, producing a package of tofu eggs. He began to prepare a couple of omelettes. 

The bunny seated herself at the bar watching her fox companion work. He seemed so casual in his mannerisms here. At work Nick was cordial to a select few and all slick charm when it came to strangers and acquaintances. He was everyone's friend, but the other officers rarely caught a glimpse of the stupidly caring Nick Wilde. It took just as much legwork for Judy to keep the growing vitriol at bay from her charming partner that it usually took for her to solve a case. She understood his reaction to everyone's probes. Nick was constantly on guard with himself. He never let anyone in. Well, almost never. Judy was the one exception, and she didn't fault him for his wariness. It was a welcome change to see him carry himself comfortably. 

Judy rested her head on the bar, ears finally lax from lack of caffeine. To her delight, Nick deftly slid over and put a pot on the drip.

"I was thinking about what you said yesterday," she started.

Nick's ears perked but he kept at the searing pan before him.

"-about getting to know the neighborhood." She rested her head on the bar.

Nick nodded in confirmation. He glanced over with a grin. "If you want I can arrange a tour for the kind lady."

She smiled at that, turning her head on its side. "Only if the gentlefox will see to the touring personally."

He worked a spatula to flip the egg. "But of course. It's a big bad world out there. Someone's gotta watch out for you." He sprinkled some seasoning over the sizzling dish.

"Careful, fox," she ribbed, straightening her posture. "I'm the only one watching out for you."

Nick set a plate in front of her and slid a perfectly shaped omelette onto it. He offered a mug which Judy promptly accepted, and he filled it. After Nick prepared his own meal and Judy finished up hers, he joined her at the barside. 

Judy carefully sipped her coffee as Nick gave her a once over. "Any pain?"

She mulled over it, eyeing her mug. "Only when I laugh," she said dryly.

He forked at the food with a bark of a chuckle. "If it gets to you, you'll tell me right?"

She looked up from her drink, her expression one of quiet gratitude.

"As long as you're really not bothered by my being here."

Nick put down his fork and placed a finger at his temple, tracing a bored circle. His tired eyes said all that he needed to convey.

Judy got the hint with a teasing wink and returned to her coffee. She knew his answer wouldn't change. He would maintain that he was fine whether or not that was actually the case.

After she had promised herself that she wouldn't make a mockery of herself anymore, she fell asleep on him. It was an innocent mistake sure, but for Judy she didn't make mistakes. She had to hold herself to a higher standard. 

Still, a part of her had wanted that. Looking back on it, Judy found herself very fond of his close presence. Having his company to keep her warm and comfortable had afforded her such a serene sleep. And for a moment, the excitement of seeing his face upon waking was a surprisingly enjoyable experience. One she felt that getting used to would be very easy. She wondered if Nick had a similar train of thought.

Speaking of which, the fox finished his breakfast and bussed their plates. He returned across from her. "So, you want to see the sights?"

Judy's ears now stood attentive, indicating her renewed vigor. She was ready to see what this corner of the city had to offer. "Let's do it."

Nick pointed behind her. "Bathrooms on the left. Get changed and we'll skedaddle."

She rushed off. Nick noticed the skip was returning to her step, hobble or not. The familiar twinge of hope and warmth spread from his chest to his muzzle with a happy smile. Nick couldn't wait for the day to kick into gear. He had a feeling things were going to be alright. 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if you guys could tell, but I love all of the warm fluffy parts. Writing them is so much fun! More on the way soon:)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually upload a chapter after I wake up, but I just took a nap. So for the sake of my internal clock, here's another one!

Walking down the cracked sidewalk Judy was surprised at how much history Nick could convey about the neighborhood. He explained the various shops and establishments up and down each street, the animals that ran them, and how they all interacted with each other in cohesion to form a single cooperative organism. Everyone knew everyone, and was willing to help their fellow mammal. It reminded Judy of the sense of hope and belonging she had dreamed of when moving to the city.

"And there's Arturo's dance studio," Nick said pointing towards a simple storefront with flamboyant lettering above the street canopy. "We'll...uh come back later." Nick said, looking down at Judy's cast with a sheepish grin.

"Low hanging fruit, Wilde."

"It would have to be if you can reach it." Nick stopped a laugh, peeking from behind his sunglasses. 

Judy gave an approving nod. "Better."

The day was going swimmingly. They didn't have to venture far to begin the tour of the comely district. Most of the quaint establishments were concentrated to a few blocks, which was convenient for Judy considering her leg. She had insisted on the crutches against Nick's protests. He would have much rather carried her on his back but Judy's perky pride won out. 

Nick pointed across the street. "Tony's has the best pizza you'll ever try. Don't worry about the bikers that hang there. They look scary, but they all volunteer at the soup kitchen."

Judy shook her head still keeping pace with the fox.

"Why is every good pizza place run by a Tony?"

Nick shrugged. "I have a theory about a secret rite of passage that pizza chefs go through."

"Of course you do."

Much of the day was spent like this. The pair would glide by a dour looking place, Judy would question it, and Nick would tell secrets about the owners or patrons. Sometimes both. It was around the turn of the evening when they decided to take a break in a decidedly familiar park.

Nick could tell Judy recognized the place. He was happy to revisit with the bunny in tow. Usually he spent time there to reflect on his inner workings, a normally solitary undertaking. Having company was a refreshing change.

When they reached the bridge at the park center Judy's expression turned to one of knowing satisfaction. She set her crutches against the wall and with a helping paw from Nick she hopped up along its side, letting her heels dangle over the edge.

"I didn't know you lived around here. To think I was so close to discovering your bachelor pad way back then." She gave Nick a playful punch to his arm.

Nick leaned on the stone wall turning his gaze in her direction.

"What makes you think it's a bachelor pad? Perhaps the missus is out on sabbatical."

Judy narrowed her eyes and shook her head, cracking a half smile. "Pfft. With all the time you spend watching my sorry tail you don't have time to settle down with some lucky vixen."

He gave a slow nod. Watch her tail he did, just not in the way she was thinking. "Again, I got all the excitement I need right here, Carrots." He played his signature wink card before looking down to a faded lawn chair with a bucket kicked up like a footrest.

Judy followed his gaze down. She remembered that day fondly. She had made the biggest boneheaded mistake in her life, implicating all predator species in the Night Howler conspiracy, but worse still she had hurt her friend. When she finally gained the courage to apologize Nick had welcomed her with open arms. She had never felt more relieved in her life than she did at that moment.

It made her think of how far they'd come since then. Judy, from a naive bunny with something to prove to the model of what a cop should be; At least that's how Nick put it. And Nick. Cynically sweet Nick. From the humble beginnings of a lowly con artist with a chip on his shoulder, to ZPD's first fox. Sure, he kept his jaded disposition, but he was warming up more and more each day. It was a pleasant sentiment that they both shared.

Which is why Nick was surprised at what she said next.

"Nick, did they catch him?"

The vision of the past cracked with her words and Nick's face blanked. 

"The mammal that shot me."

He knew what she had meant, but it caught him off guard. Nick hadn't really thought of the perp since the shooting itself, just the moments where he held his partner in his arms praying for a miracle. He had wanted to keep tabs on the case after Judy had left the hospital, but it all seemed so much. Nick didn't want that night to follow Judy wherever she went or keep him up any more than it already did. He stowed his shades in his chest pocket.

"I haven't kept track of the case." He knotted his fingers together over the wall. "I've been a little...preoccupied."

Judy's voice turned stern and her brow furrowed. "Nick."

He sighed, closing his eyes. "They...didn't."

He noticed her apprehension at the confession. Why did he feel guilty about that?

He tried to gloss over it. "I wouldn't put much stock into catching him. We were just wrong place wrong time." He wished he would have given the words some thought before spitting them out, unintentionally gritting his teeth at the sound.

She turned away, and Nick winced. Judy watched past the wavy hills of the park. It was more of a lot, she thought, with overgrown grass bristling in the wind, abandoned junkers and shopping carts half-buried in its soil.

"Carrots you have to understand," he pushed off the wall, facing her. "We were all really worried about you. By the time help arrived the guy was long gone."

Judy nodded absently. "We'll just have to pick up the pieces when I get back then." Her back straightened. "We can't just leave the case open," she said turning to Nick with a serious glare. "The implications this could have: possession of an unregistered firearm, illegal distribution of weaponry..." 

She rattled off the different permutations of numerous misdemeanors that in turn shifted into felonies, and Nick just stood there dumbfounded. This wasn't her normal way of oiling the gears in her head. She was too close to this. They both were.

It wasn't in the way that the cops in a standard cable show would be; where the chief pulls the buddy cop duo off the case and they go off the reservation to solve the crime anyways all guns blazing. No, they had both been affected by that night. Judy simply had a deeper reaction.

"Carrots..."

She ignored him. She was trying to make sense of it, going on and on like there was some method to her madness. It was different than her normal procedure in that her heart wasn't in it. The path where her principles overshadowed her happiness.

He made his voice harder. "Carrots, we don't have to worry about it, it was just one guy." Rarely would Nick let his charming visage fall. It was as much armor for him as it was for everyone else. But for Judy he didn't need it. She would listen to him.

Nick barely noticed his input on her face, but her words struck out at him.

"We do though! If it had been you, I would never ha-"

Nick closed the gap and wrapped his arms around her. She was surprised at first. She hadn't realized how desperately she needed it, needed him, before she was too far gone and had a breakdown right in front of him. But once she felt his concern and his care, his warm scent around her, the crack split wide open. The tears started as quickly as she had felt them.

Nick squeezed her in his arms, giving them both a moment to let it all out. She returned the favor, raising her own arms around him.

"Judy, I never want you to go through that again. I don't want you to become obsessed. I won't let it happen."

She stayed quiet for a moment, allowing herself let her guard down and take him in. Eventually she rubbed her eyes into his neck. "I need you to know I never blamed you, Nick. I blamed myself."

Nick's grip tightened. He still kept mind of her stomach wound. He needed this as much as she did.

"You put so much pressure on yourself to be the best, to prove that you're not just taking up space. I just want you to be okay, you dumb bunny." He could now feel himself getting teary eyed in Judy's embrace. "I just wanted you to be okay."

They held each other there for a time, Nick to keep hold of the person he needed most in the world, and Judy for the one that she needed. For the support that kept her stable. The one that helped her be all she could be. She was safe in his affections, and him in hers.

Judy pulled back and wiped the wet from her eyes, taking in the fox's sullen expression.

"Let's both agree to stop blaming ourselves. And let the problems be someone else's for once."

Nick brightened at her offer. He sniffed, and nodded.

"Promise?" His eyes were alight with her in front of him.

She nodded. "Promise."

He was content with that.

They sat on the bridge looking over the site of their previous makeup. It was fitting that they came to terms here. Like a sort of magic lay over this abandoned lot. Their arms lingered on one another, each leaning against the other for support.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"This is a nice spot."

He chuckled soundlessly.

'It certainly is.'

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are. Let me know what you guys thought of this one. I really would like some feedback on it. I get nervous as heck looking at it for some reason. Don't worry though, there's still more to come!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that last one was a bit heavy, huh? Let's dial it back a bit. Just a smidge.

The tour had been fulfilling to both of them. When the fox and the bunny returned to Nick's apartment they were back to their normal selves. Nick cracked jokes at her expense, and Judy shot back with her own light hearted retorts. Nick noted her growing propensity for sarcasm and Judy denied it. Nick was fine with that. He would be sure to steal the dash cam footage of their cruiser when she got back to work.

They spent the rest of the evening with not much on the radar. Judy elected to try some more strenuous exertion on her leg while Nick cheered her on from the side, careful to keep a watchful green eye on her. Afterwards with Judy drained from her workout, she decided to share with Nick the wonder of Beardevil season two, not entirely convinced on his reviewal of the first showing. After preparing a large bowl of popcorn the pair nestled into the sofa ready for their viewing experience.

Halfway through Nick chimed in with another of his endless queries.

"So he's fighting ninjas now?"

"Yup," was Judy's nonchalant answer.

"With his ninja girlfriend?"

"Basically. Now shush, I love this part."

Nick leaned back with the bunny at his side periodically stealing fluffy kernels from his bowl. 'First a bunny cop, now a comic book geek,' he thought. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that she would see kindred spirits in justice seeking cartoon characters of various styles and flair. But watching her mouth the lines of philosophy at the same time as the crimson clad vigilante happily perplexed Nick. No matter how close he got to her, Judy could still show him something new about herself. She really was something.

When the final credits rolled, again Nick expressed his happy opinion of the show and Judy gushed some more on how awesome the show was and how she couldn't wait for season three. 

Nick helped her to the bathroom so she could shower while he busied himself with making his bed on the couch. When Judy emerged from the steamy room she was dressed in her pajamas rubbing her tall ears with a towel. She looked to her fox, confused.

"What are you doing, Nick?"

He looked to his makeshift bedding and back to her. "Getting ready for bed. What's it look like from over there?" He turned and framed his paws like a film director at the couch. "Mr. Wilde, you're needed on set," he joked to himself.

Judy hopped on her good leg over to him. "I'm sleeping on the couch though."

"Oh no you're not, Carrots," he shook his head and crossed his arms, "you're taking the bed. You have the bad leg."

"I'm the guest and this is your place. You sleep in the bed."

He looked up in contemplation. "Mm, no. Wanna know how I know that?"

It was Judy's turn to cross her arms. "Pray tell, dumb fox."

A mischievous grin grew across his muzzle and his eyes narrowed. "I'm bigger than you." He abruptly scooped her up, and headed to his room. Pushing through the door with the protesting package of fur that was Judy, Nick chuckled at her half-hearted escape attempts.

Judy squirmed, and yelled, and Nick swore he even heard an expletive from his bunny pal. He gently plopped her on the sheets where she huffed at him while he stood back, paws on hips and looking very pleased with himself.

"Nicholas Wilde, I am going to kill you!" she said with the sides of her lips curling into a slight sneer.

"Well, get some rest first because it's going to take some effort before you do me in." He absconded from the room shutting the door behind him and leaving Judy alone to cool her thoughts. 

Nick's room was simply furnished with not much about it. The obvious bed made of plain oak sat to their immediate left as they entered, flush against the wall under a small window with navy blue curtains swept closed. A dresser for clothing sat across from the door with various sundries and trinkets on its top, and a nightstand with an unassuming lamp and a picture frame was set on the far side of the bed.

She looked to his dresser drawers. Various knick-knacks littered its top: an old deck of cards, spare change, a hideous tie she'd never seen him wear, and of course Nick's badge and sidearm. To Judy it looked to be a brief history lesson into Nick's life.

Resigned to her fate she maneuvered to turn off the lamp when Judy noticed the picture frame. In it was a picture of the both her and Nick, him holding the camera with an arm wrapped around her shoulders, both of them dressed for the beat. Judy recognized it as his first day on the force. The day that another dream of hers came true, for her to have a partner that meant as much to her as the job did. That day was obviously as important to Nick as it was to her if he framed it at his bedside.

She smiled at the memory in the frame. Her eyes were feeling heavier, but she felt a tug in her chest, one that told her there was something missing. Judy mulled over the inkling, chewing on her lip and tapping a finger against her cast. It wasn't long after she let her mouth run away with her thoughts. She looked to the door the fox went through.

She sighed and called out. "Nick?"

A soft pitter patter started and grew louder, after which the door cracked open and the familiar russet of Nick's fur poked inside.

"Need anything?"

She did, and she was admitting it to herself a little more every day. For a moment she just sat staring at him, wordless. She never got tired of seeing the fox, though the reasons behind it were starting to blur together.

'Say something! Anything!' she thought.

"I can't fall asleep," she lied, letting her head sag. Looking up at him with her big amethyst eyes she asked, "keep me company?" It wasn't as dramatic she had hoped, but it was a step in the right direction.

Nick raised an eyebrow before a half smile crept across his face. "Sure," he said softly.

He shut the door behind him and strutted to the bed, planting himself at her side. When he kept a gap away from her for space, Judy inched over to him and laid her arm across his chest. She nuzzled into his chest and he didn't protest. Nick put his arm around her shoulder and let his apprehension melt away with a quiet breath.

Already Nick's scent was putting her at ease. The day had been long with with an unexpected dose of emotional turmoil at the park. Now the entirety of the days weariness seemed to compound at a moments notice. This combined with the sudden comfort of Nick's presence weighed down Judy's body with sleep. She wanted to enjoy the moment, to indulge the fantasy for a just a while longer, but she fought to keep her eyes open. She had to at least try to say something to keep the time alive.

"Nick. Can you do me a favor?" she whispered.

He gave a hum of approval. "Another one? I'm only one fox, Carrots."

Judy smiled, nodding her cheek against her new pillow into a comfortable position. "Can you tell me something personal about yourself?"

Nick's smile drew to a taut line as he mulled it over in his mind. He sat in silence for a time, thinking of what he could possibly confess. She knew a lot about him, maybe not as much as he wanted, or maybe that was just enough, but there was one thing he might find to tell her. He thought about it hard before answering. Nick was always a cautious sort. If it blew up in his face he could always play it off as a joke, he thought sadly. Maybe now was the time.

He released a drawn out breath. He was sure.

"I've never been the luckiest when it came to romance. I've been in a lot of benders. A lot of foxes have broken my heart, and I broke some of theirs." He swallowed. "But right now, there's someone out there who is very special to me." 

He stared at the ceiling, choosing his words. "She's...amazing. She helped me turn my life around on a whim. I have never felt the same way about anyone like I feel for her." 

He smiled solemnly. "She's annoying, and foolhardy, and she doesn't compromise for anything."

He looked to Judy lying still in his arms. Her eyes were closed, and her breath soft and rhythmic. His face drew into a frown for a second, then to a contented smile. He sighed quietly.

"She's the greatest bunny I have ever met. And I love her for it."

Nick ran a paw over Judy's head smoothing her fur and then fell asleep in her arms.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to again say thank you for all of the wonderful feedback I've received over the past couple of days. It makes a world of difference, really. Speaking of which, I would welcome more! Till next time:)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the encouraging comments! You're all too awesome for little old me.

When Judy awoke the next morning Nick was already gone. His scent was still present around her so she gathered he hadn't been gone long. She got up and walked into the living room rubbing her eyes with one paw, supporting her stance along the wall with the other. 

There was a note on the coffee table. 'Out for groceries. Back in a jiffy.'

She smiled at his messy writing. His script needed work. She could never understand his scribbles unless she tilted her head just right and had access to ancient hieroglyphics for translation reference.

With Nick out of the apartment Judy took the time to freshen up for the day. She hopped in the shower for a scrub. 

It was funny. In the peaceful isolation of the shower Judy was able to reflect on her thoughts better than she ever had in her own shower. She chocked it up to the privacy. Then again, perhaps it was Nick's shampoo. Even here his scent was a comforting blanket that eased any dark misgivings that crept into Judy's rabbit brain. 

Last night in the haze of sleepiness Judy had asked Nick a question. She had wanted to know something personal. Not like when he tried to join the scouts. She was hoping for something deeper. She had felt so comfortable in his gentle arms though that she had fallen asleep before she could see the fruits of her query. It wasn't her fault. Something about him just made her feel safe, safe enough to fall asleep in his grasp, a thought that reddened her cheeks lesser and lesser with each subsequent resting.

Judy could remember Nick had spoken before she fell asleep. She just couldn't remember what was said. Vague recollections swam in her minds eye, but she couldn't fit them into a complete picture. Like seeing a puzzle piece out of context. At least her dreams had been a pleasant caveat.

Was it something serious? Had he opened his heart, and she had been too tired to hear it? Or had he just laughed it off with a joke and kept her company? Try as she might to rationalize it, Judy couldn't help the gut feeling that she missed the train on this one.

She sighed, bumping her head against the shower wall. "Dumb bunny."

\---

Nick fumbled between his arms full of grocery bags and his keys to the apartment. After a few unsuccessful attempts, and the appropriate amount of self deprecation, he finally managed to open the door. 

He shut it behind him and sluggishly made his way to the kitchen. He was exhausted. Despite his ease of falling asleep, his dreams were plagued with bad ideas and a head full of doubt. He had taken a leap of faith, and then someone moved the target out from under him.

Nick wouldn't hold it against her, he had taken that trait from her. Even after he had gotten to know the bunny that held his heart, he couldn't actually feel petty towards her. As hard as he tried to keep all others out, Judy had found her way through his walls, and now he couldn't help but think about her as more than a token bunny. 

He would find a way to salvage his feelings from the floorboards. Yesterday had taken its emotional toll on the both of them. Nick just made the decision to take another step into the deep end. He hoped Judy had been able to sleep well.

As he walked across the threshold his ears flicked to the sound of running water from the bathroom. She was up. He shook his head and clicked his teeth to clear the perceived image of her state. He had hoped for a little more time alone to reset the jumbled pieces of his ego, but duty called. Or rather, Judy did.

"Nick," she shouted, her voice muffled by the wood door, "is that you?"

He set the bags down, pulling up a tone of false confidence from his emotional reserves. 

"Sure is, fluff!" Even if she couldn't see it, he curled a smile. Best to get the practice in for later her rationalized as he began to unpack and store the bagged contents.

The water quieted, and there was some faint rustling from behind the door. He made sure to keep his back turned when Judy came walking into the shared living space. Slick was not saying happy things.

"Hey," she greeted with cautious optimism.

"Hi." He fiddled with a half open loaf of bread. 'Was it stale?'

'You're getting stale,' picked Slick.

Judy sat at the bar seat. Nick was being quieter she observed. "I didn't hear you get up."

Nick reached back and grabbed various spice bottles and lined them up in a cabinet. 

"Yeah, I-" He shrugged. "Early morning." He still hadn't turned to face her.

She tilted her head, a flash of concern over her eyes. She definitely knew Nick was not a morning mammal. Many early patrol shifts could attest to that. But for him to be quiet was abnormal in the most extreme sense. His tail wasn't even swishing, she noticed. "You okay?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah, just a little tired."

She frowned at that. He had said something last night. And she hadn't heard it. As full of energy as she was, sometimes she didn't have any when she needed it most.

She shifted in her chair. "About last night..."

Nick's ears perked and he slowly turned to her, his face waiting to read the situation.

"What did you say?"

His eyes shifted down before they met hers again. He put his paws behind his back.

"I, uh...." He kept his mouth open, like the words were right there. But he stopped, electing to use that famous smile to change the subject. "Hm."

"I was thinking," he started, stowing the last of the groceries, "Finn said an old club in town is having its grand reopening tonight." He razzled his paws in exaggerated excitement. "He asked if we would come."

She put on a brave face for him. He would tell her when he was ready. He always did. She just had to be patient with him. 

"I'm not much of a clubbing bunny, Nick."

His shoulders sagged, and he groaned in an all too familiar way. He always did it when they disagreed on their weekend activities.

"Come on Carrots it'll be fun." He started listing off reasons on his claws. "It's not too big of an establishment, only a few people are being invited, there will be that terrible music you love so much. It's a perfect excuse to get out of the house."

She steepled her paws on the counter. "I can't exactly dance in my current state." She flashed a wry smile across her face. "Are you gonna be my dance partner?"

Nick swallowed back a weak chuckle, but held his smug expression. "We'll just show up, have a drink, sing a little tune, and get out. No benders. Just a night out."

"I don't know. I'm not exactly clamoring to wait in a line for an hour."

He walked over to the counter, leaning over it.

"Finn has some pull, he'll get us in." He took her paw in his with a smile. She looked up at him with her own smile. "It's just for tonight. I'll keep you safe, rabbit."

She looked back at his paw and gave it a squeeze. He was coming back to her, bit by bit.

"Alright, but if you get wasted and start picking fights I'm not bailing you out," she teased.

He broke her hold, walking back with a snappy point at her.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Head full of doubt." Roll credits:P   
> But seriously there's still more to this tale, hope you're excited as I am:)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of a longer chapter this time. Hope that's not too taxing. Enjoy!

They showed up outside the club a little after dusk, but with the way the line curled around the block Judy thought it had been forming since last weekend. 

It was a fair sized building, looking to be a refurbished dance hall or something of the like, she observed. The word "Sherwood" was strung up in green neon along the roof casting already dark shadows in an even more eerie light. The outside walls were plastered with faded and torn posters of various indie rock bands, lit up in the fading sunlight by sporadically placed wall lamps. Some of the bands Judy recognized and some seemed to be smaller unknowns. The muffled beat of a bass drum carried on the air and through the sidewalk.

Finnick stood across the street, leaning against a telephone pole looking about as bored and mean as ever. When he caught a glimpse of the familiar duo of bunny and fox rounding the corner, his features lightened up.

"Hey there, toot-toot," Judy joked, greeting the smaller fox with a hug.

Finnick rolled his eyes but they kept the air of happiness about them.

"Nick told me about what happened," he said looking her over, lingering a little at her leg cast. "Woulda been me there I'd have torn that asshole a new one."

Judy nodded gratefully. "Water under the bridge, Finn. I'm getting better now." She threw a thankful glance over to Nick, who stood paws in pocket.

"Again, no hug for daddy?" he ribbed. Finn shot him a sudden steely glare.

"I told you if you brought that up again I would bite your face off," he growled.

"Kids, play nice." Judy pointed a stern eye to the pair, but softened immediately upon Finnick's guilty posture.

Nick smiled, victorious, and looked over to the growing line for entry. "Huh, popular place. It's really taken off since its heyday."

Finnick walked past Nick, punching him in the back of leg. "Don't worry, I got an in. No friends of mine are waiting full time."

Nick rubbed his sore posterior and looked to Judy, mouthing the word 'friend' with feigned surprise. She mouthed back, 'I know' happily, not the least bit concerned with Nick's bruised ego. They followed suit with Finnick, with Judy being helped along by holding Nick's arm. She had decided to use a cane considering the circumstances that preceded them. It was more manageable with the offset of being less supportive, which was fine for the bunny and the fox. They both had all the support they needed on each other's arm.

Finn led them to the front door where a large grizzly bear in a suit jacket and sunglasses stood with his gaze front and centered. It was common practice for perspective employers to hire the larger mammals for security work.

The bear raised an eyebrow at the smaller trio, giving Finnick an even longer stare. Finn rolled his eyes again, and gestured downwards to the bear, passing him a few dollar notes on the sly. The bear nodded, unclipped the separating chain, and waved them in.

The inside of Sherwood was much more than its modest exterior implied. They walked down a narrow hall with black walls that led to a much more spacious room where the main club lied. They were met with a dance floor lined with neon lit floor panels and crowded with various mammals of different sizes and species. Llamas, lions, rhinos, wildebeest, buffalo, and even some rodents followed the beat on raised platforms appropriate for their size. Almost every type of mammal Judy had ever seen was there dancing and prancing to the beat. 

Across from that was a large bar. It was tastefully constructed, smooth angles made of brushed metal and shiny plastic curved around it. It too was accented with low neon lights outlining it against the masses of party animals. To the sides the walls were lined with booths where the more reserved mammals sat chatting amongst themselves.

Nick's eyes widened at the sight of the pumping beat and raucous crowd. The place was certainly happening. He kneeled behind Finnick yelling into his big ears.

"Where did this place time warp out of? The eighties?" He turned to see Judy absolutely awestruck at the vision in front of her.

The song changed beat expertly, courtesy of the DJ, to a song by Depet Mode. As the electric thumps kicked into play Nick's satisfied look intensified at Finnick, and the sand colored fox merely shrugged.

Nick hooked his arm with Judy's and moved towards the bar. He skillfully weaved in and out of the crowd careful to keep his bunny companion close from the mindless jumble of limbs surrounding them. Judy didn't mind. She loved having him near her, and this was just another excuse to do so. 

When they reached their destination Nick leaned back observing the contrast of Judy against the backdrop of a neon nightmare. She looked every which way, scrutinizing everything with academic interest, and her smile grew wider at every new detail. For once her curiosity was being used for recreational purpose and not in tandem to her job making Nick shake his head and smile. There was that spark again. The one he'd missed for so long.

She turned to him, brimming with excitement.

"This is amazing!" she yelled a little too close to his ears. He winced lightly, but kept his grin. "I knew that clubs were loud and crowded, but I never thought they could be this much fun!"

Nick leaned in close, teasing the hairs on her ear with his words. "You haven't even done anything yet." He tapped playfully under her chin and she smiled bashfully.

"I know, but it's just so different from what I'm used to." Judy placed a paw on his arm. "Try everything, right?"

Nick cocked a brow looking past her. "Speaking of try everything," he said, expertly lifting a glass off a passing waitress' platter. He sniffed it making sure it was to his taste.

Judy eyed him with a knowingly, prodding at his arm with a dry smile. "Where's my drink, huh?"

Nick sipped the glass and nodded happily. Focusing on Judy, he waved his glass to his side at the liquor shelf, a lean tiger working furiously to keep up with the patrons orders.

"You can try and raise one of the bartenders. They're more liable to tend to the smaller, cuter patrons than a shifty fox," he said sarcastically with a half lidded smile.

Judy frowned playfully. "Sure, Slick." She looked around. "Where's Finnick?"

Nick glanced around, looking first at eye level then at waist height. Scoping past the crowd he spotted the fennec fox dancing an awkward shuffle with some vixens twice his size. Despite his "expert" technique, the females seemed to be rather entertained at his candor, replying to the fennec with moves of their own.

Nick flicked a finger from his drink in their direction. "Looks like he's being taken care of." Judy followed the line, shaking her head when she caught sight of 'little toot-toot'.

It was her turn to lean in close. This close, she could smell the sweet cinnamon of Nick's bourbon on his breath. The tang of alcohol aside, the scent suited him, she thought. "You must be so proud," she joked.

Nick winked. "Taught him everything I know."

She rolled her eyes with a nod. "That's painfully apparent. I'm gonna go search for a waiter. Save my seat?" She didn't wait for an answer, hopping off and walking along the bar away from the fox. 

Nick watched her walk away and couldn't help but crack a smile. It was good to cut a little loose. Being wound up for the last week was doing wonders for the cricket on his shoulder, and the sight of Judy willfully sauntering off for drinks was another goal he could check off the bucket list. He'd dial it back in case she went off the rails. Nick could never be sure of his smaller cohorts tolerance. 

'Maybe now I can finally take a moment to breathe' he thought. 

Stuck in his mind as he was, Nick almost didn't notice the grouping of a pair of foxes and a lanky timber wolf melt out of the crowd before him.

"Well if it isn't little Nicky Wilde," the wolf said, spitting at the floor after Nick's name. He was a head or two taller than Nick, with mottled brown and black fur. His face was scrunched up for a timber wolf, more weasel-like than his cousins might be. He had on a track jacket a size too big for him and a couple of gold chains hung from his neck. Nick knew him as Turpin; a dumb dumb two-bit always itching for a bigger piece of the "family" life.

'Really going out of your way to show how "bad" you are, huh,' Nick thought to himself. He hadn't seen the wolf in a long time, but they had not parted amicably. Nick smelled trouble.

'I'm taking the wheel,' Slick interjected. 

Nick gave a wide armed welcome gesture. "Twerpin' Turpin! Fancy seeing you here, do you still put on that fake accent for the big boys?"

One of the foxes piped up. "Can you believe this guy, boss?"

Turpins eyes flashed briefly with anger before cooling it with his crocodile smile. "Nicky always was too wise for his own good." He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. "I thought I tolds you never to show your face 'round here again."

Nick shrugged and sipped his glass. "Best watering hole in the district. And I never was one for wise talk."

Turpin chuckled at that. "That's cute, that's real cute," he pointed a finger at Nick's chest, "but we still have some, uh....reparation pay to discuss after that last job."

"Whoa now fellas," he said as he swirled his drink around. "I wouldn't pull that string. Word on the street is a certain handsome fox is back in with Big."

Turpin waved an arm at the crowded room. "I don't see no Big around here."

"Listen fellas, I didn't come here to start a fight."

"Who's talking about a fight? I'm talking about getting even."

Nick looked around assessing the situation. He was outnumbered three to one. If they started here he might have the advantage of spontaneity and Finn would rush to his aid, but Judy would be caught in the middle. She wasn't some southern bell that needed defending, but she was still healing, and Nick would rather her not get involved with his past transgressions.

His thoughts were interrupted. "Thinking about your little honey bun, eh Nicky?"

Nick froze. He clenched his glass a little tighter. It must've been enough for the wolf to notice because his grin grew even toothier. 

"What kind fox brings a fluffy little thing like that to a place like this?" He swayed a little on his feet, licking his lips with anticipation. "Oh, is she your...chew toy?"

'And the wheel is yours,' Slick chimed.

Of course he would drag her into this. Turpin had always been that kind of criminal, one willing to bend the rules with threats to loved ones when a mark wouldn't play ball. There was no honor among thieves. That was just a tale to tell little kits in stories about Robin Hood and his merry mammals.

The ice water in Nick's veins was nothing like the venom that dripped from his words. "You leave her out of this Turpin," he sneered.

Turpin crossed his arms letting his face look bored. "I would, I really would like to Nicky. But it's looking like you're giving me little choice."

Nick felt like he was going to crush the glass in his paw. He was putting Judy in the crosshairs again. Again she was in danger. But this time he could circumvent some suffering. Her safety was paramount to his. He just had to go with these losers.

Nick set down the glass, and shoved his paws in his pockets before gesturing to the back door.

"Smart guy." Turpin started to the door. The two foxes slid to Nick's side negating any chance to make a break for it.

The timber wolf opened the door and stepped outside, cracking his knuckles. Nick looked back to the bar. Judy had returned only to find her friend gone. Now she searched around expectantly with a worried look on her face.

He gave one last look towards the bar where Judy sat. She looked confused, scanning over the crowd for the familiarity of her fox.

Nick sighed as one of the thugs shut the door behind him. "Alright bozos, let's get this over with."

He didn't see the first punch coming.

\---

Judy had found a bartender willing to listen her and happily ordered a fruity little cocktail. She wasn't exactly partial to the stiffer stuff like Nick or her coworkers were. A tasteful sweetness would do her just fine, and her drink even came with a miniature umbrella. Satisfied with the flavor, Judy started to sidle back to her seat with Nick.

Some of her doubts from earlier today were being dulled. Nick seemed rested into his usual quick witted self. No red flags, no sulking comments, all was business as usual. But Judy still felt he was holding something back, and with no efforts to touch upon it from Nick, the ideas were only growing in her head. Maybe when they got back home she would tell him a personal secret and that would make them even, or at the very least coax him into opening up.

Judy looked at her drink. 'Here's to hoping,' she thought.

When she found their seats with the noticeable absence of one fox she frowned. Nick wouldn't just leave her in the middle of a new place without saying something. Nick was wont to ditch at the strangest of times and never without good reason, but he was always courteous enough to say goodbye.

She looked around. The lights weren't helping with making everything look shades of blue and green, and she didn't have night vision like the russet colored fox. Nicks distinct red coat was hard to spot amongst the visual overload of various furs and pelts.

Looking past the conventional pathways one might walk in a nightclub Judy spotted a quick glimpse of his unmistakable fashion sense. He had walked out the door behind the bar, but why? Judy's bad feeling worsened. Setting down her drink she kicked up her cane and followed after him, weaving past the larger mammals normally oblivious to her stature. She hoped inwardly Nick hadn't found his way into trouble.

She'd only left him alone for five minutes, how could he possibly have? She was remiss to answer her own question, but Nick was a master trouble maker. The badge hadn't changed that, it only changed the company he kept. Sure he had stopped with the scams, vowing to Judy personally of his changed ways. He even gave an old scout salute. But sometimes he didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. He was too glib for his own good. Being a law abiding citizen made for more forgiving colleagues. 

Judy made it to the door. She put her ear to it, but she couldn't hear anything with the club raging behind her. 'Fine. Going in blind.' She thought. A risky decision she knew, but she hadn't earned her badge by playing the game safe.

Gripping her cane she breathed, counted to three, and turned the doorknob. 

\---

Turpin was having a pretty good day. He had woken up, gone through his morning routine, did a few easy deals and was even paid in full. Normally his customers would try and scam him, pull a fast one, and he might resort to breaking their legs. But today was a good day. He decided celebratory drinks were the perfect note to end the evening on. There was a new club opening tonight, well reopening, and it used to be a place he frequented. It was like the stars had aligned. 

Then he ran into that lying, cheating, scum Nick Wilde. Turpin had never been one to hold a grudge. No, when he hated someone they usually got their just desserts, usually at the end of a baseball bat. Little Nicky just happened to be the one that got away.

Running into the scheming devil was a stroke of beauty. Normally Nick would've tried to talk his way out, pull out a connection he had in his back pocket, or offer up a deal. He might have even tried to run if it came down to the line. But Turpin had noticed his Nicky's little friend. A cutesy little rabbit, already seeming to have taken a few licks from the look of her leg cast. The perfect leverage.

When Turpin mentioned her, Wilde locked up like a clam and then melted like putty. Turpin had heard rumors Nick had gone straight, that he was a changed fox. To the wolf he had changed, losing his spine in the transition. 'Easy pickings,' he thought.

After Wilde had voluntarily walked out the back door with the trio, Turpin wasted no time in exacting reprisal on the distracted fox. Now here they were in the back alley of Sherwood, Nick at his mercy pinned on each side by his lackeys, and not a witness in sight. Turpin threw another punch across the fox's face. The other two foxes held Nick in place away from the wall so he didn't crack his neck on the bricks. They lifted his head when he stayed down for too long.

Nick groaned, spitting some blood at the ground.

'At least these guys don't hit as hard as that rhino,' reasoned Slick.

'Not helping,' replied Nick.

Turpin paced in front of them, blowing lightly on his paw.

"Not bad Nicky. Most morons are out by now," he snapped his fingers on his other paw. "Like a light."

Nick gasped out a breath, looking haggardly in the wolfs direction.

"That's because you hit like a lemming," he spat.

Turpin nodded, and almost looked impressed. He hit him again.

"How long you want this to go on Nicky? You're starting to get on my nerves." He broke out a right hook followed by a left. "I'm trying not to break your face too bad but you foxes are just so fragile."

Nick's head dangled loosely. His vision was blurring, he might have a concussion, and his blood was staining his shirt. He liked that shirt.

Nick wheezed through a smile. "You know, it's no wonder you never joined up with one of the families," he looked up at Turpin, trying his best to grit his teeth. "Limp wrists like you would never cut it out in the real world." 

'You should really stop pushing him,' said Slick.

Turpin grabbed Nick by the fur on his head, pulling a grunt from the fox.

"You really are pushing it, Wilde," he snarled at him. Nick spat again, this time at Turpin. He recoiled at first, then spun around with another flurry of hits. He turned away to wipe the blood from his snout.

"I think I've changed my mind," he threw back at the fox, "Maybe I will give your little fluffer butter in there a visit. I hear rabbit feet are lucky. Whatcha think?"

Nick might have been drifting in and out of consciousness, but his ears still worked. They flicked backwards towards the club door.

"Ask her yourself," he breathed with a smile.

At that moment a resounding crack of wood smacked one of the goons across the head. He crumpled to the floor in a seconds notice. The grip of fox paws on Nicks shoulders loosened and he slumped heavily to his knees.

Turpin turned to see one of his pals on the ground, the other shocked at the sudden turn of events, and a small bunny looking exceedingly pissed off, teeing her cane up for another swing.

"Get the hell away from my fox!"

She clocked the other thug in the chest, and then swung up under his chin sending him tumbling back against the wall where he slumped downwards, unconscious.

The timber wolf took a moment to register what had happened, but soon rushed forward with renewed fury at the intruder. Judy ducked under a clumsy swing at her ears and swept her cane under his legs. With the wolf flat on the ground Judy struck twice at his snout, prompting a muffled crunch from Turpins nose. He laid silent for a few moments before groaning in defeat.

When she was satisfied with her handiwork Judy moved to Nick who had dragged himself to the wall.

"Oh geez, Nick!" She carefully lifted his face with both paws. Nick looked back at her with a bruised and bloodied face. She was a sight for sore eyes.

"My knight in shining armor," he joked with a crooked smile. His voice was quiet and rasping, almost a whisper.

The edges of her lips crinkled into a half smile, but it was lost in her worried expression. "What happened? What did they do to you?" She moved her paws to his chest and arms, checking everywhere for damage. 

"Cheese and crackers, what's going on Nick?"

He listed his head to the side. It was easier to let it hang for a while. He shrugged one shoulder weakly. "My attempt at chivalry." He looked over to the moaning forms of Turpin and the fox goons. "Seems you're better at it than I am," he chuckled.

Judy shook her head and held his face again. "Stay. Here. I'm going to get Finnick." 

Nick smiled absently back at her. He didn't think on how mad she would be if she knew his reasons for being in the alley. He didn't think about what might have happened if she hadn't shown up like her favorite crimson avenger. He was content enough to to see her face. 

'She is so pretty,' he thought.

'Come on dumb dumb, keep it together,' Slick berated.

She rushed off as fast she could hop with one leg and a cane. With adrenaline of the fight worn off the pain from Nick's injuries pounded in his head, blurring his thoughts. He tried to assess his state, his fur around his face was a little matted with blood and his skin was feeling especially heated after that beating. It was soothing to just let the soft breeze play off his cheeks. Judy returned as quickly as she left, Finnick in tow at her side.

The shorter fox kneeled at Nick's side. He didn't seem happy with his friends new look. "Damn it. You had to go and pick a fight, huh?"

He looked at him and choked out, "you should see the other guy."

Finnick looked over at them with a low growl in his throat. "Turpin and his gang? Damn it, I'll kill em!"

Judy busied herself with dabbing a damp kerchief against Nick's bloody muzzle and bruised eye.

"We have to get him to a hospital." She was trying to remain calm but the concern was trembling in her voice. Nick reached out at her, brushing her cheek lightly and shaking his head.

"No hospitals," he groaned trying to adjust himself, "it's not that bad."

She wiped his eye and moved to his mouth. "We can't just do nothing!"

Finn was looking over the knocked out wolf. He gave him a kick. "If he says no hospitals, then no hospitals. I doubt this was over a misunderstanding." He pointed an accusatory finger at Turpin who groaned in response. Finnick replied in turn with another kick, harder this time.

"Quiet, you."

Judy was coming apart at the seams with worry. Nick took notice, straightening his posture as best he could.

"Come on, Carrots." He reached up so she could help him stand. "You can be my night nurse."

Judy smiled and fought back a tearful gleam in her eye. "Okay. Okay, I'll take care of you." She waved Finnick over and together they hefted the fox to his footpaws.

"What about them?" Judy's head jerked towards the unconscious ruffians. 

Finnick licked his teeth and adjusted Nick's arm over his neck. "We know where they hang. You can have some of your boys in blue pick em up." They started moving the battered fox. "My vans nearby, I'll give you a ride home."

Judy nodded, heaving Nick towards the alleyways mouth with a supporting paw on his shirt. She winced quietly, enough to where Nick wouldn't notice. With her own adrenaline worn off Judy could feel her stitches strain and ache. Despite the slight in her belly she mused to herself. Now it was Nick in the hot seat, not her. She would repay his kindness to her in turn, times ten if she could help it. Nick was worth all that and more.

'How the tables have turned,' she thought.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the biggest fan of OCs but sometimes they're necessary. Hope I didn't do too bad on my first try:P
> 
> Still more to come:)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, after last nights kerfuffle let's see if we can turn that dial higher shall we?

Judy thanked Finnick for his help in carrying Nick upstairs. The miniature fox had offered to park his van nearby just in case Turpin's band of dregs came around, but Judy politely declined. She had been around Finn long enough to know he would do it anyway. He looked past her one final time to his former partner in crime slumped on the couch.

"When he wakes up tell him to give me a call. We have to have a talk about him keeping secrets," he said, waving a finger around the expansive apartment before taking his leave. Judy shut the door behind him, taking a moment to rest her head against it.

Finnick was more right than he knew. Nick had been keeping secrets. Now they seemed to be affecting both of their lives. Despite her endless optimism Judy couldn't help but feel partially responsible. It wasn't impossible that her accidental spurning had made Nick reckless enough to go pick a fight. What was it he had said though? 'My attempt at chivalry'. Chivalry for whom? After Nick was all patched up the first real talk about transparency wasn't going to be with Finnick.

Judy stepped lightly into the living room and moved to Nick's side. The sign outside was casting its familiar glow again, illuminating the apartment in shadowy pink. The shade that periodically flashed and obscured parts of Nicks face made him seem like a frame out of an old noir flick; the picture of a tough as nails gumshoe, battered and stepped on too many times sleeping off his latest bender. The only thing missing was the remnants of a smoldering stogy and a glass of scotch resting on the coffee table.

She lifted his arm. "Come on, Slick. Let's get you cleaned up."

He kept his eyes closed but allowed himself to be led to the bathroom. The residual light from the hall allowed Judy some sight of her surroundings, and after helping Nick stumble in and ease down against the side of the bathtub she flicked the light on. 

Nick was a mess. The fur on his face was streaked with blood, and spittle ran red down his chin. His left eye was bruised badly but wasn't swollen so that was a good sign. It would likely heal after a week or two. Nick's shirt was ruined with random stains dotting it here and there. Judy thanked her lucky stars that it wasn't his favorite green one. She liked that shirt.

She loosed his tie and began to unbutton his shirt. Nick tried to help, fumbling his paws over hers but she gripped them tight and set them in his lap. He smiled sadly, eyes lazily peeking open at the rabbit.

She stripped the shirt from his chest which wasn't nearly as spattered with crimson, but his cream colored fur still had drops among them.

'That's going to stain,' she thought. 

His slacks were more difficult, and Nick wasn't willing to acknowledge the situation without a joke.

"Dinner first, Carrots." He chuckled at his terrible timing. In other circumstances she might have agreed. She put a finger to his lips, quieting him before unshackling his belt.

Judy was decent enough to leave him in his boxers, lifting him into the tub and turning on the shower head to warm. The water trickled over the fox making him stir more coherently. He faced Judy in silence. His air of feigned confidence washed away with the water, leaving only a very ashamed looking fox. Judy stroked his ears comfortingly as the blood rinsed down the drain.

When he was sufficiently cleaned she towled him before bringing him a change of boxers and one of his endless pairs of khaki slacks. He looked to her with a questioning glare. Judy cocked her shoulder in a shrug before she turned around to give him some privacy. He begrudgingly turned himself and changed, looking over his shoulder with embarrassment in his eye. Judy resisted the urge to sneak a peek, though she was able to smile at the thought. 

She was careful not to bruise him more than he already was, and despite his lethargic state Nick was careful not to support his weight too much on her. Judy sat him on the couch and dragged a lamp to the couch side.

"First aid kit?" she said.

Nick lifted his paw to the armrest and gestured to his room, "Under the bed."

She retrieved it and returned to the living room. Sliding the ottoman to the couch and releasing the clamps on the plastic case, Judy unpacked the necessary supplies and began to fix her partner. She hadn't had much formal training at the academy for first aid, but growing up on a farm caused enough accidents to warrant some amateur experience. She dabbed a cloth with peroxide and cleaned his split lip and cheek, causing Nick to wince at the sting of disinfectant.

She tilted her head, applying the wet cloth with more ease of care. Nick lulled gratefully at her tact. His left ear was cut so that had to be bandaged. A sticky gauze patch solved the problem, along with the several small band aids needed on his face.

She ran a paw carefully along his ribs searching for deformities through his fur. 

"Does your chest hurt?" Nick shivered at her soft touch, his eyes widening in surprise at her readiness to explore his form. Eventually his body relaxed enough to formulate a response.

He shook his head. "He might have re-cracked my ribs."

She felt no obvious differences but chose to bandage them anyway. She rolled the gauze around his midsection before cutting and taping it off. 

"There," she said switching off the lamp, returning it to its original position. "I'm no expert but that should do it." She packed the spare supplies and clicked the kit shut.

Nick rotated in place adjusting to the bandages. He felt along his face for outstanding damage and was satisfied with the inordinate amount of wear and tear.

"I must look like hell. Be honest, am I still handsome?"

Judy didn't respond. She only sat looking at him with what Nick saw as a mix of concern and disappointment. 

Nick's eyes dropped. "Judy, I'm-" She stopped him with a held up paw.

Her mouth was a taut line but her face betrayed no obvious emotion. "Rest first. We'll talk later."

She could tell he wanted to argue, but he obeyed with a slow nod. His expression dropped and he laid back on the couch closing his eyes.

Judy wanted to know why the night had gone the way it did. She wanted to ask him to spill everything. Why had he gone off alone? Why hadn't he told her? Didn't he trust her? Judy trusted him with everything, with her life. She was willing to trust him with even more, with something more personal. But it would have to wait. 

She moved to the easy chair opposite the couch and settled in for a long watch. Nick's breath had already slowed to a steady, slight wheezing out of his nose. Judy pat along her stomach and frowned. Her stitches were bleeding, not enough to tear but enough to be in pain. When he woke up she wanted nothing more than to talk to him, but if he was willing to open up was another matter. Judy invariably wondered if pressuring him was even worth the risk of knowing.

\---

Nick had almost thought it was all a bad dream, that he wasn't stupid enough to block out the most important bunny in the world. That he hadn't been so desperate for air that he walked into the shady den of predators who were unabashed at hurting his friends to get to him. That Judy hadn't risked life and limb to haul his sorry tail out of the fire. 

He hadn't entirely minded the aftermath, savage beating excluded. Her cleaning him, washing away the blood and grime after his boneheaded decision, the way she cared for him. He was wondering how much good faith she had left for him to cash. But Judy still gave.

She was always doing that, helping him. She gave, and gave, and gave some more. And when she asked for some honesty so she could do more, Nick stood there heart in paw and ran. He would rather fall into a downward spiral that ended with him a drunk ne'er dowel than dare face rejection from her.

Nick had faced bad romance before. In his earlier years he had made many rounds at the odd fox bar around the city. There were a few vixens he caught the eye of, and he made fast friends with them. Those nights usually ended with a phone call the next morning. "Friends with everyone, serious with no one" Finnick once told him. 

Nick never felt the kind of connection he had with Judy. When she was around she set him at ease, she made him want to do more, give more. When she complimented him he took it to heart. He cherished every moment with her.

His eyes opened to the familiar ceiling of his apartment, the pink neon flashing like an alarm clock. His body still ached from the pummeling but at least that meant he was still alive.

He turned on his side to see Judy sat up in the chair across the way with her shirt drawn over her shoulders, methodically wiping a cloth at her belly. Nick blushed before he saw the dark stains on the rag and the color ran from his face. She pushed herself too hard in the fight, causing another pang of guilt to jolt through him.

Nick sat up, resting on his elbows long enough to gather his thoughts. He wasn't ready for the verbal lashing he was about to receive. He was even less ready to spill the beans as to why Judy had to save him. It was his fault for taking her there. He scratched the back of his neck before turning to her.

Judys ears caught the movement. They stood at attention when she turned to face him, lowering her shirt and tossing the cloth on the table. She met his stare with an equally long look. For a time they just looked to the other, either too worried, or too scared of the talk to come.

It was Judy who broke the tentative silence, grabbing a pillow and hugging it close to her chest.

"What's going on Nick?" Though the question was loaded her face remained calm, ready to react to his answer.

Nick swung his legs off the couch, letting them hang comfortably. Here he was sitting in the dark, shirtless and glued together by ribbon and tape, with his partner across from him asking the simple questions with hard answers. If there had ever been a doghouse Nick was in it.

Judy waited patient and resolute, but an answer never came. He couldn't find the words. There were things to say, but how to say it right? It was all a jumble inside Nick's head, like poisonous insects threatening to sting at the wrong answer.

She could see that the question was too broad so she tried another. She sighed. "Who were those guys, Nick?"

Nick was more willing to answer that. There was no obvious harm in letting her know.

He leaned over resting on his knees. "An old associate of mine." He paused thinking on if Judy should hear this, letting his careful charm kick into gear. Nick did his best to look indifferent staring out the window. 

"He was a friend of a friend that I worked a few, ahem, completely legal jobs with." Nick scratched at his neck embarrassed. "The last job didn't go so well. Twerpin got pinched while I kept my paws clean," he brushed his chest. "Obviously he thought we still had a score to settle and came to collect."

Judy didn't look entirely convinced. She squeezed the pillow in her grasp tighter as she spoke. "But why did you get cornered in that alley?" She dropped her arms, pointing at him. "I saw you walk out that door willingly. Why didn't you say something?"

Nick didn't start so she continued.

"You've been on edge all day," she started, rising from the chair. "Then you go and get in a fight at the club." Judy moved a step closer . "You're being reckless. Why? What aren't you telling me?" 

What could he say? He wouldn't tell her he had confessed his love for her and she had fallen asleep. He couldn't tell her that she had been threatened on Nick's behalf and he took the beating for her. It was selfish, and foolish. She would be heartbroken. Even if his silence was grating on her trust, Nick didn't want to risk hurting her like that.

Judy stood waiting for an answer. When she was again met with silence her foot began to thump the ground. It was her tell that she was at her wits end. Nick could see them nearing a breaking point.

"It was just a misunderstanding."

She narrowed her eyes and her paws clenched at her side.

"I can tell when you're lying Nick. What. Happened?"

He couldn't bear to meet her gaze. He might have crumbled right in front of her if he did, and Judy didn't deserve to see that.

"We're partners, Nick! You're my best friend! Why won't you let me in?" She stomped at him, making her leg buckle. Nick stood, arms outstretched to reach her but she stopped him, pushing him back.

Nick winced. They were partners. She was in pain seeing him like this, and it was beginning to affect her. He wanted to let her in. He wanted to tell her how he felt, rush over, sweep her off her feet and apologize. But he couldn't be sure. If he was wrong Judy would never see him the same way.

He sighed, stood up, and walked to his room shutting the door behind him. Nick slumped down against the dark wood grain. This was how it had to be. She didn't deserve to have a shifty fox like him at her side. The brawl at the club was proof. Regardless of his intentions Judy was put in harms way again. He couldn't be trusted to watch her back, to keep her safe. She had to go.

Nick's ears turned to a sound from behind the door. There was the soft movement of rabbit feet and a brief shuffle as she knelt against the door.

"Nick. Please, talk to me." 

Nick's heart quickened and his cheeks burned. Tears stung at the edge of his eyes, begging for him to open up, to say something to sweep it all away.

'It's for the best, Nick,' Slick said. Nick shook his head.

"Just go away, rabbit."

There was a long pause from Nick, followed by a piercing silence from the other side. Then a sniffle followed by a small sob. It broke Nick's heart. There was another quick swish of sounds before the door slammed. Nick peeked out from his room and Judy was gone.

He stood alone in the living room. He had won. He succeeded in keeping her out. It didn't feel like the others though. The air felt stale around his breath, the ground remarkably cold against his footpaws. There was no sudden sense of relief. No envelope of peace eked through the atmosphere. All Nick felt was the tears finally break free and flood down his cheeks.

He clasped his paws over his eyes, rubbing at the water works and running his fingers through his head fur.

"Dumb, stupid fox."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that happened. How's my driving?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As we get closer and closer to the end I find myself poring over these final pages, scrutinizing them for details. I hope you enjoy them as I do!

"Thanks for letting me stay here, Ben," Judy said, strolling into the cheetahs humble dwelling.

Clawhauser's apartment was, like most places Judy visited, bigger than her own place of living. The living room doted a simple smooth canvas couch sat across from a modest flatscreen tv, various shelves against the walls filled with cutesy nicknacks, and an oaken coffee table littered with various celebrity digest magazines. The room shared the same space as the kitchen with a dining table and chairs and further down were two separate doors leading to the wash room and Ben's room.

Judy had frozen deep in thought soon after the door had opened and she had taken a step inside. Not long after her falling out with Nick, her second falling out she noted begrudgingly, she gave Clawhauser a call. He had been the next number down her call list after the numerous past calls to Nick's number further down the call history, a bittersweet reminder to how much of her time she really spent with him. 

Judy's apartment was a long distance away and she wasn't sure she wanted be left alone after what happened. She needed a friend, and Ben was a welcome respite from the cold shoulder she had recently been privy to.

"Oh honey, after everything that's happened you always have friends to turn to."

Clawhauser crept past the still bunny blocking the threshold, sifting through a box of donuts he had picked up along the way to get Judy. After finding a sufficiently sprinkled one he set the box on a side table and sat at the couch, patting the cushion next to him for Judy.

Starting from her trance Judy slid her suitcase to rest by the door along with her cane and seated herself next to the tubby feline. He put a paw on her shoulder, talking in between generous bites of his sugary treat.

"Now what's all this trouble with Nick? You two are usually thick as thieves." He caught a sideways glance from the bunny. She hadn't meant any harm from it, but it was still enough to make Clawhauser correct himself. "Metaphorically speaking," he added. 

Judy sighed. She had wanted to talk to someone about it. That's why she had called Ben. He was her closest friend after Nick, and he had known the fox almost as long as she had. When Ben asked about the argument though, her mind drew a blank. 

Truth be told, she didn't entirely know what happened. One minute they were having a normal day quipping and joking at each other, then after the club he locked up on her.

"Nick's been really helpful the past couple of days," she started, fiddling with her paws as she spoke. "I was in pretty rough shape after the...you know."

Clawhauser nodded retracting his paw to give her space to think.

"I had a lot of personal reservations with him taking care of me. Not with him personally," she clarified. "It's just that I've always worked so hard to be taken seriously that when he offered to help me recover I wanted to say no. Do it on my own, you know?"

The cheetah turned towards her, leaning his elbow over the couch back with sympathetic expression. 

"Judy you know there's nothing wrong with accepting a little help every now and then," he waved his arms around his apartment to reinforce his point. "You've got people who care about you. We're always here for you."

"I know. That's what Nick said too." Judy smiled at the echo of his voice in her mind. "And you're both right, I am too hard on myself." She looked up at Ben, his chubby face beaming with jovial confidence. "I'm thankful for your hospitality, really." He nodded and moved for her to continue.

Judy wasn't sure how to begin explaining the problem. She turned her gaze downwards to her dangling legs, kicking the air with her cast.

"I guess it started when I woke up today and he wasn't next to me-" She realized how that sounded and covered her mouth, but too late. She looked upwards to Clawhauser to see his eyes widened and his paws jittery with excitement over his all too familiar grin.

He gasped at her. "Off-i-cer Hopps!" he teased.

She fumbled after the words in the air. "It wasn't like that!"

"Girl you are so telling me what is happening between you two," he sang, still shaking like he had just found a bonus cupcake in the box. "How long have you two..." He pointed a finger up and down at her form.

Judy groaned, grabbing a pillow to hide her face, wishing some divine force would fix her big blabber mouth once and for all with a lightning bolt.

"It wasn't like that," she said muffled by the pillow. "I couldn't sleep so I asked him to keep me company and I fell asleep. Nothing happened." 

The cheetah nodded but still kept a brow raised with keen interest.

Dropping the pillow and stowing her angry glare Judy mentally retraced her steps. 

"Anyways, I remember before I went to sleep I asked him a silly question, and I think the answer was really important to him." Her ears dropped. "But I fell asleep before he told me."

"Oh honey." Ben gave his paw for support. Judy accepted it gratefully, trying to stifle the turmoil brewing in her chest.

"He was distant the entire day then. Whenever I asked about it he just changed the subject."

"Well, it sounds like it was really important to him, sweety," he said stroking her paw with his thumb.

Judy stared forward. "That's not even the end of it. His friend invited us to a club opening in the neighborhood that night," she paused to cut off Bens confused look at the pass. "I know, it's me, but Nick wanted to go. I guess to clear his head. So, I said yes."

Her throat tightened and she swallowed back another pang of emotion. "I left to get a drink and when I came back Nick was gone. I caught sight of him leaving through the back door with some shady fellows and I followed him. When I found them they were beating the devil out of him." 

Clawhauser drew an intake of breath but Judy pressed on. "I managed to get the drop on them and fight them off, and Nick was pretty worn down, but he's okay now." She felt Bens grip tense at the news. "A few cuts and bruises, but I taped him back together." She couldn't help but show a half smile of pride at her first aid. 

"After he was rested up I tried to ask him about those guys. You know, Why did they go after him? Why didn't he ask for backup?" She emphasized each question with a wave of her paws. "Nicks smarter than that. He wouldn't run off for no reason."

"When I found him he was in and out of it, but he told me it was 'his attempt at chivalry'. When I asked about it later he just shut down. He got really offended I think." She drawled out a slow sigh. "He shut himself in his room and told me to go away."

She hated thinking about it, the way the night was haunting her. It tore at her resolve, made her think of how powerless she could be in the face of emotional entanglements. With anyone else Judy knew how to handle herself. But Nick had always affected her differently. With him, she struggled to gain stable ground. 

From the moment they met, he challenged her character at its basest values. In that, he was no different from anybody else Judy had met growing up. But as she began to understand him she also started to see the similarities between them. And maybe that's why his words hurt her so. Because deep down she knew whatever was eating at him she should just as easily be able to work out a solution for it. But she couldn't.

Try as she might, Judy couldn't fight back the tears for long. She looked up at her friend, eyes swimming. "He's not like this, Ben. I want to help him and I don't know how."

Clawhauser drew her in for a hug, rubbing her back in an effort to calm her sobs. When she was sufficiently soothed Judy leaned back with the cheetahs arm draped across her shoulders.

"Judy, I think whatever's got your fox all wound up, he's just really afraid of what you might think of him if he tells you." 

She chewed on that, wriggling her nose in thought. "What do you mean?"

"Nick isn't the most open of animals. Sure, he knows everyone, and he has a way with making everyone like him, but he doesn't really talk to people. Just you."

Judy was unsure of how she felt about that. Calling Nick open was like accusing a politician of being honest. She knew that they were best friends, and she shared most everything with him, but the prospect of Nick actually talking serious with her was unusual and exciting. It made the question of what he wasn't willing to tell her simultaneously intriguing and terrifying.

She wiped at her eyes, clearing her vision of the tubby feline. "What about you Ben," she sniffed. "You guys are friends." 

He giggled to himself. "Girl, we may chat about all the gossip under the sun, and he may treat me now and again with those top dollar boutique candies, but all he talks about is you." He gave a light poke at her chest, eliciting a curious gaze from the smaller mammal.

"Me? Nick has better thing to do than worry about me all the time."

Clawhauser nodded, cocking his head at what was, to him, right in front of her muzzle. "I wouldn't call it worrying, Hon. You should hear him when he goes on about you, it's like he's in a whole other world." Ben pointed a snappy finger to and fro, emulating Nicks mannerism. "Carrots this, Carrots that, Everyday without fail. It's hard to get a word in edgewise."

"You ask me, you're the only thing he really cares about."

Judy's expression turned to one of puzzling intrigue. She didn't know what to think. The way Nick always ragged on her when she was with him, she figured it was just how he was. But for him to be the exact opposite in her absence was jarring, infeasible even. Perhaps she did indeed mean more to him than she thought. It was a sobering feeling that sparked a trace in her mind. An inkling of a thought she had over the past week, and perhaps longer. She had toyed with the thought in passing, but now she dwelled on it in earnest. It was too serious not to entertain.

"Ben? Do you think he...likes me?"

The cheetah gave a half shrug with another barley contained smile. 

Judy blinked, staring past Ben. In her head the pieces were finally clicking together.

It made sense now. The constant reassurances, the willingness to put himself out there for her, how he let down his boundaries around her. The way he propped his chin in paw and watched her work. They spent all they're time together. It's not like he didn't have other friends. He could make fun elsewhere.

Judy looked to Ben, fidgeting endlessly with her paws.

"You think he said something? And I didn't hear it?"

Ben nodded. "When we got the news that you were hurt we couldn't drag Nick away from you for anything. Bogo threatened to have security extricate him from the hospital if he didn't get any rest. And the way he jumped at the offer to take care of you without hesitating....well." He smiled tilting his head with a wink.

Judy's mind raced, her eyes darted wildly. "What should I do?"

"What should you-" Clawhauser looked to her incredulously, rolling his neck in friendly annoyance. "Go! Talk to him! Tell him how you feel!"

Judy nodded before pausing and narrowing her gaze, confused. "How I feel?"

"You're head over heels for Nick!" Ben held his arms straight. "Anyone can see that. You haven't?"

He was right. Top of her class at the academy and she hadn't seen it. Even the little mole at the hospital had caught on. Thinking to herself, Judy figured it was because she was so caught up spending time with him she never entertained it to be something more. They already did most of the things a couple would do. Movie nights, long talks into the night, dinner dates. Dates! They were practically a couple in all but name. It was only recently through a different lens was everything filtered clear. Now Ben had taken her pencil and answered all the questions for her.

Judy stood bolt upright. She needed to see him. No more dancing around the issue. She needed to know how he felt, if they might feel the same way to each other.

"I- I have to-"

"Go, go! Tell him!" Ben encouraged ushering her to the door.

She nodded and hopped into motion, dashing out the door and down the hall.  
Clawhauser sighed outwardly with a smile before he noticed Judy's lack of luggage following her.

"Wait, you forgot your cane!" he yelled after her. She didn't hear a word he said.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One...more...step...
> 
> Don't touch that dial! We'll be back soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here...we...go.

Nick sat alone pondering the day in the dim light of his living room. Judy had already been gone for an hour with change and already he regretted sending her away. Not long after, he had gotten the courage to dial up Finnick, but lost the nerve once more to confide. His gruff companion was too busy complaining about how Nick let Judy stay there while Finn was relegated to hoofing it in the van. Nick ended the call with a hastily prepared excuse, but not before reminding Finn how much the smaller fox loved camping in the van. Finnick's expletive-laden response was cut short by the soft pat of Nick's thumb on the end call button.

Alone with his thoughts, Nick couldn't convince himself that what he did wasn't a stupid, selfish action. Judy was just being herself wanting to help him through his problems. Since the day they met she had done nothing but want to help. This was a problem where Nick's mantra came into play, though.

"Never let them see that they get to you," Nick repeated to himself. He swung his legs over the armrest of the couch, facing the window to watch the sign flash off and on. If Nick came forward with his feelings and Judy rejected him their friendship could be ruined. Nick was used to rejection, sure. You don't get to thirty-two without taking your fair share of licks to the ego. But Judy was different from anyone in his past. She was precious to him. If Judy said yes...

Nick couldn't even picture a world so perfect. It was everything he wanted. He had his own place, he loved his job (more than he cared to admit), bills weren't too bad, and he didn't go to bed hungry. The only thing missing was something he wasn't even sure he had needed until he and Judy became partners. 

When they were together Nick lost track of time. They could stumble their way through a smorgasbord of paperwork, yucking it up along the way, and before he knew it the day was over and he was bidding her goodbye outside the station. He would return home, let the daily newscast roll off of him like oil on a duck, fix up a meal to end the day with, and see himself to bed with no room for flexibility in his schedule. Judy brought sunshine to his life. It wasn't as simple as breaking the monotony of his day, it was...different, in a way that made Nick happier than ever before. Without her what could he look forward to?

Nick looked around the empty apartment, almost to answer himself. He was wallowing in self pity, in a lightless room except for the flashing sign outside his window. Alone. It was like a dark mirror into a future without Carrots. Was his unwillingness to be honest really worth all this?

He was shocked from his thoughts by a knock at the door. Nick was wise to experiences with visitors past a certain hour, he could write a book with how negative they had been. If it was Finnick he could wait till the morning to formulate a better argument for the secretive "bachelor pad". If it was someone else he would improvise. At the very least it would be a welcome distraction from mess of his twisted psyche. 

Nick mindfully trudged over to the door when the knock wasted no time in quickening, shouting a response as he went.

"Finnick I told you. You just don't have that cute little cottontail like Ju-" Nick's eyes lowered to where he thought would be sandy colored fox ears but instead widened at the sight of familiar gray bunny ears.

Judy stood in the doorway breathing heavily looking like she had just ran a marathon. Her foot thumped rapidly and her face looked confused at the sudden mention of her tail. Nick glanced both ways down the hall before pulling the bunny inside, shoulders hunched with an embarrassed wince.

"What was- That- About my tail?" Judy huffed in between breaths, trying in earnest to look composed.

Nick ignored her comment, clasping her shoulders while his mind screamed at him. 'She's back, why is she back?' 

"Forget that, why are you here?" He looked her over. She was sweating and with the way her leg was shaking the neighbors downstairs would be calling to complain. "Did you run all the way here? Where's your cane?" 

Before she could answer he guided her to the couch, sitting her down and hurriedly prepared a glass of water. She accepted it gratefully, drinking its contents to help slow her body to a manageable state. Nick stood before her arms crossed eyeing her up and down with a mix of worry and upset.

"You know you're not ready to be running a marathon in your condition. Your stitches..." He rubbed his mouth, trailing off. "Dumb bunny."

Judy sat quiet for a moment while Nick slide the coffee table closer, seating himself there and fiddling with the first aid kit. He prepared a sterile cloth in his paw with a dab of disinfectant. With his other paw he started to lift her shirt, but Judy stopped him, grasping his paw firmly.

"I needed to see you."

Nick blinked. "Come on Carrots, I'm not gonna bite." He reached back for the disinfectant but she grabbed that paw too.

"This is important. Please, you have to listen to what I have to say." Her ears dropped.

Nick stopped struggling, but returned her stern gaze. "Carrots, I'm not doing anything until you calm yourself down," he gave a soft squeeze to her arms. "Can't have you having a heart attack in my apartment." 

She nodded and relinquished her grasp, allowing him to resume the work of checking her stitches. Judy sat quietly only loosing a slight shiver at the cold touch of the cloth on her belly. Nick had laser focus on her, taking the utmost caution with the cleaning of her wound. His paws traced the faintest of touches across her skin, the paws of a predator cleanly and expertly expressing a trained reluctance on his patient. 

As he worked Nick stole glances of her face from the corner of his eye. He was still surprised at her appearance at his door. He was sure he hadn't had to say much to send her away for good; if there was anything he was good at it was mucking up a situation with those closest to him. Yet here they were, in the same room after the ordeal with an unsure conversation ahead of them. It was frightening to think of what the future held in store.

Nick screwed the cap back on the bottle in the kit before turning to sigh with his paws in his lap. He tilted his head at the bunny, still eyeing her up and down, sure he had missed some clue for her return. She reciprocated his scrutinizing gaze with a soft smile, a sense of acceptance to his apprehension brimming in her amethyst eyes. She had calmed from the stress of her journey here, and seemed more at ease than ever before under his watchful gaze.

When he was through, and Judy was sufficiently prepared, Nick set the kit aside and moved to the other side of the couch, leaning back cross armed. His brilliant green eyes watched over her for a moment before he gave a half cocked smile, waving for her to relay her message. 

She was glad for his forethought. She felt calmer, ready enough now to say what she needed to say. Judy took a deep breath before letting her voice carry her off.

"You've been watching out for me ever since you joined the force. You even took a chance with me before then with the nighthowler case. And I've been selfish, thinking I'm better off being on my own. You've kept me together ever since I was hurt, and even before then you kept me grounded. Not the other way around like everyone thinks." The corner of Nick's lips curled with a sag in his posture. Judy went on.

"I thought that you keeping to yourself...it was just you being you." She shook her head with a weak smile. "You've always been so stubborn, I thought that you caring for me was an argument not worth making." 

Nicks smile faded at the weight of her words, but he kept his vision locked on the bunny. He still wasn't sure what she had come to say. The why of it all played through his head with varying results. Forgiveness? Resolution? All were possible with Judy Hopps. This somehow seemed more open than he was used to seeing her. He found the more he listened the more he was effected, becoming calm and intent.

Judy gently soothed her thumping leg, running her paws over it then holding them in her lap. "I thought I was being greedy with your care. But then you kept doing it. Holding me steady even when I pushed back. It didn't add up."

"Then it was my turn to be stubborn, and I pushed harder. I was asking questions that you weren't ready to answer for yourself." Warning flares were beginning to light in Nick's head, and he avoided her turning gaze at him, moving his sight to the window. He could feel Judy's eyes probe for a reaction, one he wasn't sure he wanted to give. He adjusted in his seat, easing his arms down and resting his wrists over the armrest.

"I didn't know that we were both asking ourselves those same questions, why you were keeping me out. I didn't think to see what was right in front of me."

The fox raised his head, a hint of realization lifting his features. 'This isn't an apology,' he thought. The way her body faced him, how she held herself open to his presence. Judy inched closer to Nick, reaching out. She found purchase on his paw causing Nick to tense with a chill. He turned to find his eyes locked with hers. 

'God, those eyes.' A thought suddenly dawned on him. 'So familiar...'

"And you made me realize something." Her candle lit eyes stared right into his core. Nick could feel her pulse match with his heartbeat as she spoke, quickening and easing with the words.

Judy slipped her paw further until it was one with his, interlacing their fingers together. 

"We don't have to figure those questions out all alone. You don't have to. Because you have me."

Nick's breath caught in his chest, and his blood stopped in his veins. She smiled rightly, aiming all of that cheer and mirth at him. Dear god why did she have to smile at him like that. 'This can't be- she can't be saying-' Slick was telling him to run, to hide. 

'I've finally lost it. That's the look! She's giving me the look!' 

The most important bunny in the world. With 'that' look. The one he yearned for.

Nick stood quietly, slipping from her grip and moved to the window. He rested the pads of his paw against its cool glass, letting himself take in the familiar smoothness of its surface. The fox needed familiarity right now. He was struggling to wrap his thoughts around what she said. 'How could she possibly have meant anything else?' Those words were like knives, stripping him open for all to see. 

Judy lingered on the couch, following him with her look. She swallowed and took to his side, staring out the window with him.

They let the silence overtake them for a few moments before Judy turned to Nick. She wasn't looking at him, and she held her paws to her sides.

When she finally looked him in the eye she spoke with a certainty to her voice. "Nick. I need to try something."

Nick was quiet. Her face drowned out his anxious thoughts, making his body burn with heat. He blinked and nodded, a little too quickly for Slicks liking, unsure of what was to come.

Carefully Judy placed her paws on his arms, sliding them to his shoulders to where he leaned over her. Her paws reached to cup his face and she held them there for a spell, trying to confirm what she wanted. Nick kept watch of her eyes, reading the caution and uncertainty there. But there was also a curiosity to them, like she was searching for something deep inside his emerald gaze. 

Judy squeezed her eyes shut and pulled Nick's face to hers, pressing her lips to his. His eyes widened and closed as Judy deepened the kiss. She held herself there, running a paw in soft caress to the back of his head feeling his tension melt away in her grasp. When she finally pulled away a small sigh escaped her parted lips before she looked to meet his reaction.

Nick released a breath, holding his mouth agape. Opening his eyes his brows knitted together and he looked contemplative, unsure if what had happened was real.

Judy dropped her arms to her side and her gaze fell. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

She froze at the touch of warm fur at her sides. Nick mimicked her hold, from her arms to her shoulders, finishing with a soft caress of her face.

"Shut up."

He brought his muzzle to hers, locking themselves there. She kissed him back, this time longer, more and more, letting him flow through her. Her knee buckled and Nick sensed the movement, pulling his arms down and picking her up. He held her body against his and she pressed harder into him, inhaling his scent, memorizing his taste, letting it envelope her like she had always wanted to. 

When Judy broke the kiss she laughed breathlessly, holding her head to his.

"I don't know what to say... I didn't think..." Tears welled in her eyes.

He shushed her stammering words and wiped the wetness from her eye with a gentle swipe of his thumb. "You don't have to say anything, Judy."

They stood there against each other, having moved together with the kiss. Each looked into the other for a long time, basking in the glow they exuded. Each of them knew this had been a long time coming, and now finally the train had reached its station.

The front door swung open giving the pair a jump. Small footsteps approached past the entry wall as a deep voice rang out.

"Look here Nick, I know you're worried about the fluff but she'll come around eventually. You'll see, and things will be better than-" Finnick stopped as he rounded the corner.

The fox and bunny stared stock still, and the sandy fennec stood mouth agape mid-sentence, a tooth pick angled precariously between his fingers.

"Better than ever," he finished, pointing the wooden pick. He backed out the direction he came. The slow creak and click of the door followed soon after.

After the audible pause Nick turned to the bunny in his arms, and Judy to the fox in hers.

"Oh yeah. Better than ever."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had me up all day and all night, constantly rethinking, rewriting, and revising every part of it. Is this right? Is this how it would happen? Is this how I want it to happen?
> 
> It's far from perfect. But I look at this chapter and I'm happy. It's mine, I wrote it. And maybe that's enough. I hope you all feel the same.
> 
> Or something, I don't know. Bleh.
> 
> Oh, and there's more. I'm still not done posting. So. See ya there.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Sorry for the delay but with the last chapter being posted past midnight it threw off my entire schedule:P anyways here's the next one! Hope you enjoy!

With Finnick gone the air finally stilled to a calm, leaving the pair of Wilde and Hopps eyeing the mammal in their arms with a searching gaze, both simultaneously confused and elated. 

They both tried staring into the other to find the answers they needed. Nick wondering if this was all a strange dream he would wake up from cursing the world, and Judy pondering why she hadn't seen the signs sooner.

"So, yeah- I, um," Nick tried to formulate words but for the first time in his life he was utterly speechless. And all it took was a little bit of courage from a bunny rabbit, a feat he might do well to take after.

Judy blushed at her own embarrassment, lowering her gaze with a sheepish smile.

"Is this weird?" 

Nick returned the smile, genuine happiness bubbling through it.

"No!" he said abruptly before catching his volume and lowering it an octave. "No. This is...nice." He clasped her paws in his. "I would like to keep doing this. If that's okay with you."

Judy was expectant for answers. The kiss was a huge revelation, and more than a little bit intoxicating, but questions still rang in her ears. Though it still seemed a haze, the picture was coming into focus. The whole why of it. But with the way she felt now, Judy had picked up on Nick's gobbledygook. 

She shrugged. "Pfft, I mean, yeah. I really..." she paused, her eyes briefly widening with her words. "I mean, really, liked that." 

Her gaze stopped to meet at his again and she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Was that," she started. "The apartment. The club. Because you....me?"

He might not have been able to string the words together, but Nick understood what she had meant. Was it all because of her? His offer to watch over her. His closed off demeanor. His rash decision to jump headfirst into the metaphorical lions den. Truth be told, even here and now he was still scared. Scared that one wrong word might turn it all to mush, render this, the kiss, a spur of the moment bad decision on both parts.

But the voice of discord was getting quieter and quieter with each passing second he looked into her eyes, and with it the doubt seemed to seep away.

"I'm not ready to say, Carrots." His gaze fell but he squeezed her paw in his making Judy's heart soar. He was getting ready. They were almost there. "Just know that....I was scared. And now I'm less so."

Nick moved them to the couch, separating from her enough to get some air on his side of the couch and to think, something he was sure they both welcomed now. They were both ecstatic at their confession to one another, and both heated with worry over what was to come, or maybe that was the rush of relief flooding through their bodies.

With her return, both Nick and Judy had felt an injection of calm symbiosis return to their interaction. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from their minds allowing them the wiggle room to start feeling without persecution. It was a new step they were both looking forward to exploring.

Judy laid back on the couch with Nick sat at her feet, gazing happily over her. She tilted her head with a shimmer in her eye, resting her cast leg over his lap.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

His smile edged slightly. By now Nick had realized this was not a dream, perfect as it was. No, this was real, and that made him want to sing, to dance, let his exuberance explode out of him like a supernova. He settled for keeping Judy in his sights, her nose twitching with anticipation, her ears attuned and attentive to his words, and her eyes having dried the tears that moments before had threatened to melt their hearts. It was more than enough to just see her smile in a new light.

"I'm just thinking how lucky I am. And how stupid I am." He tapped a finger on the plaster casing of her leg. "This didn't make it any easier." He looked to the door and back to her with a sardonic chuckle. "Though, I'm starting to wish I kicked you out sooner."

Judy playfully kicked at his chin. Nick turned his head away from her attack, smiling sideways at her. "You've thought about me for a long time, haven't you?" Judy said.

Nick shrugged bobbing his head back and forth in thought. "I would be lying if I said you didn't have a certain charm about you, Carrots."

She straightened up at his compliment. "You could have said something, you know." She lifted her head, pointing to her conspicuous ears standing at attention. "I'm an excellent listener."

"I did, you just fell asleep." Judy's cheeks reddened, and her ears drooped from their stalwart vigil. There was the answer to her most burning question in all of its revealing splendor.

Nick saw her embarrassment, moving to lift her off the couch.

"Better late than never," he said to both her and himself. 

He winked and scooped Judy up in his arms with an attentive paw to her back and headed for his room. She was glad with the sudden shift in proximity. She liked having him close, close enough to smell his scent and feel the tingle of his fur on her face. It gave her a sense of security, a deeper belonging than she had felt before now that the pretense was on the back burner. She leaned gratefully into his shoulder, nuzzling her cheek against him. Nick responded with a careful kiss to the spot between her ears as he pushed his back through the door to his room.

He gently set her down and straightened the gray sheets as best he could on the brief time he had. Judy barely contained an impish smile at the implications to the change in setting.

"What are we doing here?" she asked with a perked brow.

Nick smiled as he fluffed the pillows and tossed them over her head.

"Don't get any ideas in that fuzzy head of yours. You," he twirled his finger at her nose, "are going to get some rest. I've been too lenient with your care as of late, and you must have ran all the way from Clawhauser's. We need you all patched up if you're ever going to get back to fixing the world with your ever present sincerity." He postured with his paws on his hip, shaking the accusatory finger. "No sneaking out. Doctor's orders."

Judy rolled her eyes. She would let him have his jokes, nothing she could change about that. Not that she would want to. He was perfect to her the way he was.

"Is 'the doctor'," she air quoted, "going to at least keep me company?" She sat back, propped up by her arms. 

"How could I possibly say no?" Nick exaggeratedly straightened his pants and fell in next to her. The fox sidled in next to Judy and she pulled herself closer to him, stealing another kiss.

Judy wasted no time to run her paw through Nick's fur. He stroked at her shoulder, unintentionally encouraging her exploration of his softer coat.

"You really like doing that don't you, Fluff?"

Judy nodded, fixated on the feel against her paws.

"Foxes never let me get this close," she said rubbing her chin on his chest. "Soooo fluffy." She stopped to rest her head.

After a pregnant pause she paused to take in the sight of him, her brows momentarily knitting together in serious thought.

"I meant what I said Nick. You don't have to do anything alone as long as you have me." Her eyes held that sweet softness to them enough to make Nick's heart melt further. "You can trust me."

He closed his eyes pulling her closer still, intent on not losing her one way or another.

"I know Judy. It's just sometimes I don't trust myself."

Nick curled his arm around her shoulder, kneading his thumb against her. It wasn't unfair of him to say that. Nick had posed the hypotheticals to himself many times. What they were, what they could be. Now that he was here, he still didn't know what it meant.

"All I need to know now is that you're important to me." He squeezed her into him. "Let's get some shut-eye. We can ponder the infinity of existence in the morning, okay?" He leaned his cheek against her brow and she nodded, nuzzling him. Judy was content with that enough to call for his word. Nick would always keep to that, especially for her.

"Promise?"

"Promise," he responded. Before he could set his mind for sleep a thought escaped his lips.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

Judy hummed in confirmation, focusing on his steady breathing. "Mmhmm."

"Is it okay to call you cute now?"

"No."

"I'm gonna do it anyway."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next chapters should deal with emotional resolution and sweet, sweet fluff. So worry no more true believers! Until then:)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the feedback on the last chapter! Makes my feel all fuzzy inside:)

For once it was Judy who woke first.

When she opened her eyes to find herself cuddled in a haze of cream colored fur, she breathed a sigh of relief at Nick's presence. The scent of fox played with her innate rabbit instincts, but the familiarity of crisp cinnamon intoxicated her senses, making her nuzzle into the softness of him. This was the happiest she had awoken in a long time, and with the most wonderful fox wrapped around her.

Nick's paws rested on her back and his tail coiled over her legs; An unconventional blanket that she found to be even more comforting than the average quilt or comforter. Absently, she wondered if fox fur was always so warm. It was a welcome idea for them to spend the colder months like this, entwined in each other lazily on the couch.

Judy held her ear to him, listening to the rhythmic beat of his heart as it pumped life into her fox. It quickened when he groaned, stretching his arms above him.

He smacked the sleep from his lips and rubbed his head into his pillow.

"How long have you been awake?"

Judy blinked slowly, watching his face twitch and adjust to the waking light.

"For a while." She smiled.

The fox smoothed Judy's ears back, framing her face with a gentle paw.

"I'm not dreaming am I?" She responded by inching further up his chest and planted a kiss on his lips. That was answer enough, as Nick's pace quickened with her touch.

Resting her chin on him, absently playing with the pointed fur on Nick's cheeks.

"You dumb fox. How long have you been pining after me?" 

Nick tried to remember back to the first moment he thought of Judy in that way, as more than a friend. It was difficult to pinpoint the exact time or day. She had always been an amazing bunny in his mind, even when they first met and he hustled her something fierce. 

"Hard to say, Fluff. You've always been something special."

A bunny cop was certainly unique. One trying to actually do good? Doubly so. Then she impressed him with a hustle of her own. That made Nick see she wasn't just a token bunny. Maybe it was then that the seed was planted, he thought. 

"You did get me good with your little carrot pen," he mused, scratching at his chin.

Judy propped herself on her elbows and she batted her eyelashes.

"Well, when I saw what a sly fox you thought you were," she poked at his nose, "I had to up my game." Judy's smile stretched further on her muzzle. She knew she had him cornered, was it wrong to want to ask him?

"Nick, is it too early to ask about...us?"

Nick's smile faded, if only halfway. He scratched at Judy's ears making her rub into his fingers with a delightful sigh. 

"No it's....I'd rather we talked sooner than later." He emptied his lungs, turning on his side to fully face her.

It was strange how his new feelings put a stopper in his mouth. How that confirmation made planning the words so much harder on his tongue, how it made him slip and fumble. The words were so much more important now. Because she knew. And he didn't want to lose her because of his stupid fox brain.

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time. About how-" he waved his paw in front of her face, "-this. It's not that the time was never right. I was just afraid you wouldn't-" His eyes leered at her before looking down. He traced a circle in the mattress.

"I wanted me to be special to you," he said pointing finger to himself then her. "I never saw myself as anything good for you. You're amazing, and deserve someone that can do all the amazing things with you." Nick locked eyes with her, a little more bleary than he would have liked.

"How could I have possibly given you anything near what you've given me?" He sat up off the bed, rolling his shoulder around till it popped. "It's like you said last night Carrots: love is greed."

He stood with his back to her long enough for that to sink in. He was caught off guard when the gray ball of fur leapt onto his back, locking her arms around his neck.

He was right about one thing, Judy had exceeded his expectations from a starry-eyed rabbit to the best friend that approached all facets of life with enthusiasm and vigor. It was the same way she had approached their friendship. One hundred and ten percent. But Nick gave himself too little credit.

"You sat at my bedside not because you were my partner, Nick, but because you cared for me." She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her cheek against the back of his neck. "You stood by me whenever I went off the trail to solve a case. You saved me when I got shot. I'm here now because of you."

She peeked through shining eyes.

"What have I given you that you haven't given back ten times over?"

She slid down his back and Nick faced her with open arms. Again she had shattered the expectations of the skeptic fox. Nick would gladly stand at Judy's beck and call no matter how she thought of him, but she gave more than he would have expected. She told him of the worth he held in her heart, and he gleefully accepted it with an embrace and a slow kiss.

He ran a paw down her face. "Right as always, Carrots. I am pretty great." She pulled back and punched his shoulder.

"Better get used to it. You're my fox now."

Nick groaned at his still bruised body with a chuckle, causing Judy to recall his injuries with a look of sudden worry. Nick raised a brow with half lidded eyes and a smile. 

"Is that so? Be careful with your fox. The warranty only lasts a year and the return policy is a nightmare." He punctuated with a wide smirk.

She punched him again. "Getting stronger everyday, Slick."

"Joy to the world," he snickered.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of just a small digestible slice of a chapter, but I enjoy the shorter, sweeter bites. Two or three chapters left. I hope you enjoy them!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The final stretch. The last hurrah. The creme de la creme. The grand Pubah. Other permutations of "final chapter". Etcetera. I hope you all enjoy it as I have:)

Nick decided it was best if they didn't keep to a lazy weekend in bed and led Judy to the morning routine. They brushed their teeth, awkwardly at first in the small bathroom, but eventually they weaved themselves into a pattern of dodging and handing off various sundries in a way that complimented their cramped quarters. Judy eventually shooed the fox out when she made for the shower. He left with playful resignation, to which Judy winked as she slid her shirt off and slammed the door with her foot.

Nick shook his head with a sheepish grin and, after finally donning a loud aloha shirt, he absconded to the kitchen for breakfast. When Judy emerged, steamy and ear rubbing as always, two plates of toast waited for her. They spent the meal jabbing at each other with a spoon of butter, Judy catching Nick on the nose. She gleefully watched his confused expression trying to lick the smudge before she helped him.

The tension had melted away from the last days in the most wonderful way. Somehow Judy felt even more comfortable around Nick, and he seemed more eager to let his guard down around her.

Nick finished his meal first like he usually did and sat head in paw watching Judy nibble the last of her toast. After some playful prodding at the cuteness of rabbits, Nick offered to retrieve Judy's luggage from Clawhauser's place. Judy was remiss to allow Nick to escape her side so she tagged along.

A short cab ride while later, the tubby cheetah was ecstatic to see the two having resolved their problem, and made no effort to hide his knowing comments on their new relationship. Nick was embarrassed, finding it difficult to crack jokes at Claw's expense, while Judy extended Nick's suffering by chiming into his bumbling with prods of her own.

Before they left Nick made an effort to thank Clawhauser for his part in his newfound happiness.

Ben giggled. "If I hadn't stepped in, you two would be swimming around each other clueless as ever." Nick gave a thankful nod and bid him goodbye.

The fox joined his bunny at the elevator, pressing the button for the ground floor. Judy bumped into his side with her hip.

"He's right you know. We're completely clueless."

Nick looked down with a raised brow and a smile. "I like to think you would've come to your sense and realized I'm irresistible."

Judy rolled her eyes, reaching up and grabbing his paw. "Admit it, you're head over heels for me."

"Guilty as charged, officer. Are you going to arrest me?"

She hummed in cheerful response before her expression sobered. She looked up at Nick. "Clawhauser's obviously okay with us, but what will everyone else say?"

Nick met her eyes with a surprised stare. He could see the worry there, the stigma that came with dating a fox to more conservative minds was an apparent concern. He had been so caught up fawning over Judy that he hadn't thought about the possible ogling and leers the pair would garner in the public eye. Interspecies, and predator-prey couples were still chastised upon even in this modern utopia. It was small miracle they already had someone cheerleading in their corner.

"Well, technically Finnick isn't against the idea of us." 

Judy shook her head. "He didn't exactly give us time to explain." She turned her gaze forward, her eyes lost twinkling in the fondness of their first kiss. 

Nick squeezed her paw with a resolute smile. "No matter what happens, we'll get through it together."

She looked up at him as the door dinged open. She saw no fear in his face this time, just the stagnant support that she was wont to give herself, now standing proud like a fire in Nick's eyes. That fire warmed her heart, burning her doubts to ash.

"We'll figure it out, Nick. We always do."

They decided under no certain terms to keep their growing relationship under wraps. It was their burden to bear, a strangling cord of barbed wire around the heart of their newfound affection. Nick reasoned it was wiser to preserve their connection no matter the cost; a stark contrast to Judy's preference of vocal resistance to perceived societal norms. 

Judy wanted to tell everyone, her parents, the precinct, heck she wanted to sing it from the rooftops. But the world at large wasn't such a place that would accept them. There were animals out there that would pick a fight with the two. Judy knew Nick would defend their relationship with everything he had, but that's what she was afraid of. She didn't want to risk his safety. Not again.

Who could say whether or not this was the right choice? There was no rush. They had plenty of time for privacy in the weeks before Judy returned to work. And the pair was determined to make the most of that time. But if it came down to the line, they would stand by each other; bunny and fox, ready to face the challenge head on.

They returned home with Judy preparing for therapy. Nick was even more encouraging in his support now that he wasn't trying to hide his emotions behind noticeably stark sarcasm. Judy found his honesty refreshing, how he complimented her figure garnering lingering glances from the bunny. And his humor had returned in full force. He even partook in some of the workout to keep her company. Despite her injuries Judy still far outshone the fox.

Finnick called in the afternoon about Turpin. The word on the street was Mr. Big caught wind of his granddaughters godmother caught in a "disagreement" with the timber wolf and he had some strings pulled that led the ZPD right to him. Nick made a mental note to thank the crime lord next time Fru Fru invited them over. The fox said his thanks before Finnick made a crack about his apartment becoming a bunny refuge and the larger fox hung up.

"Was that Finnick?" Judy called from the couch. She was flipping through the netflix guide searching for a new show to binge watch with her favorite russet colored pillow.

Nick left his phone on the counter, falling in next to Judy. He pulled her close while she continued browsing.

"Nothing gets past those ears, huh?" he teased tugging at said ears, eliciting an elbow jab from Judy. "Yeah, he was just telling me the ZPD picked up Turpin and his gang."

Judy thought back to the punks she laid out. Those two foxes made her think of what could have been had she never met Nick, a dark mirror to an uncertain reality that need not be entertained too deeply.

She shivered. "Ever think you could have been one of those foxes?"

Nick felt her shake. He could see her try to hide it by not taking her eyes off the tv, but he was an expert at keeping feelings under wraps. Well, mostly.

"If I was I wouldn't have been for long." He gave another playful tug at her ear. "Not with you on my tail, Officer Hopps."

She smiled through blushed cheeks at the compliment. With the new transparency between them Judy found Nick's praise having a more personable effect on her. She hoped when she did the same for Nick it didn't go to his head.

"You still haven't told me what caused that ruckus at the club." She set down the remote and turned to Nick, clasping his paws in hers.

Nick scoffed and shrugged, trying to brush off the question but said nothing. His face soured and his eyes dropped.

Judy sighed silently. "If you don't want to talk about it..."

Nick blew air out of his cheeks. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about it, he had promised her the truth. It was just that now, after she had walked up and down them with a cane of all things, his chivalrous attitude seemed perpetually vain.

"He said he would hurt you. In retrospect it seems pretty stupid."

Judy looked to him incredulously. Then she punched him. 

"You're damn right it was stupid!"

Nick made a sheepish half smile, another look he was beginning to master. Judy wrapped her arms around him, causing a surprised yelp to escape the fox.

"I thought you were mad?" he said.

"I am, you dumb fox," she said muffled in his chest. She pulled back to see his face settled in a reserved frown. "You don't need to take a bullet on my account." Nick winced with a nervous smile at the obvious joke.

Judy furrowed her brow. "Don't make me punch you again." 

"Okay, okay. Next time a gang of ne'er dowels infringe on your honor I'll let you know before I let them hand me my tail."

Judy shook her head hard enough to flop her ears around. "You don't have to face these problems alone anymore. We're in this together now, okay?"

Nick eyed her with knowing indifference before a soft smile spread on his face. "You're not gonna take no for an answer hmm?"

She pulled him into a slow kiss, breaking away to murmur "What do you think?"

"I can tell from that look in your eyes that your thirst for justice knows no bounds, Carrots."

Again her brows made a line but she kept her smile. "What else do you see there?"

He didn't have to answer that one. Judy snaked herself into his shirt, burrowing her face into his chest and wrapping her arms around him, pulling herself as close as she could, enough to be able to feel the sift of his fur through her fingers. It was answer enough for both of them.

Nick thought back to that moment, when Judy had appeared out of nowhere cracking skulls for his vulpine misjudgment. Afterwards he had joked she was his night nurse, fixing up the "hero" triumphant only in his own personal tail whupping. But the way she swooped in to save him, a fire in her eyes akin to nothing he had seen before in the cute fluff of his partner, she was more of the guardian devil she adored so much, fighting for someone more than a friend.

Nick hummed in thought, a smirk angled his features. "You called me 'your fox'."

"Hmm?" Judy smoothed the fox tail at her side, trying languidly to transfix herself in its waving motion. But Nick could feel the warmth of the blush against his chest.

"You've been wanting to make an honest fox of me ever since we met." He shook his head utterly satisfied. "Ir-re-sistable," he clucked.

Judy tried to bury her face deeper in his fur mumbling "Shut up" into his chest. She took a time for herself, teasing hot breaths through his fur before she faced him.

"It was heat of the moment."

Nick scoffed playfully. "After last night I could get used to 'heat of the moment'," he air quoted his fingers.

Judy pulled out of his shirt and resumed her position on Nick's chest, resting her chin for a spell and looking intently at his face. She traced every feature with her eyes: his nose, his lips, his emerald eyes, committing his visage to memory in a more intimate environment than previously. She relished the way he looked to her. Not with expectancy, or even reverence. He looked peaceful in a way she had never noticed before.

"I love you. You know that?" Heat of the moment indeed, she thought. No, she had wanted to say those words for a long time. Now they drove their way straight into the fox's heart, cementing a firm adherence to the bunny in his lap.

Nick's throat tightened. The music of those words was caught at the forefront of his mind, replaying them over and over to make sure he heard right. This was more intimate than the kiss. More personal than sharing all of his secrets. How long he had wanted to hear that in her sweet voice. He returned her look, flashing the same intensity before his eyes softened with a warm smile.

"Could you say that again for me? I, uh," he sat upright and scratched at his ear, "didn't quite catch it." He all but breathed the words out. It was hard to match his usual standard of charm with that bombshell strapped to his heart.

Judy sat up in his lap nestling her legs between his knees, her paws resting on his sides.

"Nick. I love you." She smiled and Nick's heart ticked the timer to zero.

He didn't rush to hold her with a kiss. He took his time, running his paws up her arms feeling the bristle in her fur flick back against the pads on his fingers. He watched the way her eyes shone at his touch communicating everything she felt in that moment. When he finally came to her face he cupped her cheeks, smoothing an out of place hair with his thumb before he pulled her into him. When their lips met this time, there was nothing to hold back. They let the words sink into the both of them, everything that needed to be said ages ago.

They both felt it: a quiver in their chest, like all of the worry washed out in an instant. Nick thought of anything he could compare it to: winning the lottery, or finding a twenty in a jacket pocket. Judy thought back to her graduation, up to that point the happiest moment of her life. Now it was a distant second. Nothing before came close to describing the way he felt against her. It was a kind of electricity combined with an insatiable longing behind those eyes. A sort of hunger for the other. Fierce, unbridled desire.

When Nick broke away he touched his head to hers and laughed breathlessly, almost out of relief, looking into her violet eyes.

"I love you, Judy."

He didn't need to pull her away for the remainder of the day. The two just wanted to hold each other until the sky darkened all the way to the morning. It was in those moments that the gravity of everything they had said up to that point was felt. How they had navigated an emotional minefield and came out together in the middle of it all.

When the moon was high in the sky, they still lounged on the couch together, Judy curled into the loving embrace of her fox, and Nick with an arm wrapped around her shoulders stroking the base of her ears. It was quickly becoming her favorite new pastime, the feeling of intimacy and trust in the gesture.

Nick held the tv remote trying his paw at finding a show at random. Failing after a few clicks he let his arms slack, tossing the remote on the coffee table.

"I know I wasn't the most active of mammals when I worked the street, but I'm noticing that I'm spending more and more of my free time on the couch when you're around, Carrots." 

He crossed his arms over her chest and she looked up at him, batting her lashes.

"Are you saying you would rather go out and make the world a better place, than stay here cuddled up with your favorite snuggle-bunny?" She wiped away a fake tear, adding a trembling lip for good measure. "I'm so proud, I might cry."

Nick nestled his muzzle into her fuzzy ears in response. She pushed into his chin with a smile.

Nick continued. "This was all part of your plan, wasn't it? Button me up with a 9 to 5 workday then nail me down with that cute look in your eye." He chuckled. "Sly bunny."

"I can't button you up when you already wear a tie everyday."

He shrugged. "I can't help that I look good in everything."

She looked to the TV lazily, it's screen still set to the bland menu with nothing to watch.

"Eleventy-billion channels and we can't find anything good to watch."

Nick leaned back with the bunny on his lap, reaching up to scratch at her ears. She tensed briefly before laying into his arms with a low mumble of happiness.

"I'm sure we could find something to pass the time, Officer Hopps."

She raised a brow with bedroom eyes. "Is that so, Officer Wilde?"

"Mmhmm." He pressed another kiss to her lips. "I've got all I need right here."

"Flatterer."

\---

Stepping into Precinct One was a breath of fresh air. Like a missing piece of Judy had been returned. Not that she had been complaining. Her "off time" with Nick had done wonders for her. Now she was happier than ever before, and all the more exuberant to dive back into work.

It had been nearly three weeks since the halls of ZPD Precinct One were graced with the footfalls of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Even longer since they had walked with such a fervor in their step through the atrium and up to the front counter.

Clawhauser swiveled towards the sound of a box of sweet treats dropping on his desk, immediately noticing the familiar ears of fox and bunny. He squealed and dashed around to gather the two in his famous crushing embrace.

"You guys! You're back!" he said, scooping each of his friends in the crease of an arm.

Nick gasped. "Claw.... Breathing room...."

The cheetah abruptly dropped Nick and daintily set down Judy.

"Right. Sorry," he said, his face curling into an apologetic wince.

Nick picked himself off the ground having managed to keep his coffee upright and unspilt. He adjusted his sunglasses and took a sip before cracking his neck.

Clawhauser stood barely containing his excitement. His arms were shaking so fast against his cheeks he might have created a vacuum with the vibrations. He finally contained himself when he inquired to the resolute and upright Judy, whom leaned lazily against her cane.

"Late night?" the cheetah posed.

Nick gave a sideways glance to Judy who's inner ears turned a sweet shade of pink. He tilted his glasses, throwing a wink her way before readjusting his shades and turned toward the cheetah. He obviously noticed, as he loosed a soft giggle.

"You could say that," Nick said with a grin slowly spreading across his muzzle.

"I noticed you guys took an extra week off."

Judy looked to Nick first with a chastising glare, then back to Ben, her gaze softening at the tubby feline. They were in good company here. 

"We took some time for ourselves." She bumped a hip into the fox eliciting a small laugh from her partner.

"Bull pen's waiting for you guys," he looked over Judy with another jubilant gaze. "Welcome back Judy."

It was that confirmation that made the return real. She nodded happily to her friend, her eyes welling emotion. She gave him a friendly hug, squeezing into his fur before breaking contact and waving Nick towards the meeting hall. Making their way there Judy was the subject of many excited greetings and welcome smiles which she accepted gracefully while Nick finished off his morning caffeine, discarding it along the way.

The feeling of walking the hall was like a home away from home, comfortable with an air of casualness that befitted a location of routine. Judy wondered what made this place so comely to her. 

The building? It hadn't been a year and she already had so many fond memories behind these walls. Office parties, holiday decorating with Ben and Nick, the crafty foxes attempts at practical jokes (which, thanks to Judy were never taken too far), or the constant tomfoolery that was the case-to-case craziness of the 'normal' day.

Perhaps Bogo was in part to thank. After all he was the glue that kept the ZPD together, It's fearless leader, and the backbone of the precinct. His stern leadership kept their heads screwed on straight even if he didn't mince his words as kindly as Claw or Nick.

Was it the animals, the coworkers she called friends? Clawhauser was certainly a cut above the rest, practically a confidant in his own right. After all, he did end up setting her on the path that led to Nick.

Nick.

Walking down the winding halls with little in the context of prying eyes Judy felt a little bolder on her actions. She felt around for the presence of her fox, finding his paw and clasping it in hers. He looked down at the fuzzy grip at his side, rubbing a thumb over the smoothness of her paw.

"Careful, Carrots. Wouldn't want any spurious rumors spread around the workplace,"he joked from behind his shades, but Judy could see the emerald of his eyes twinkle at her touch. She nudged his arm with her head. 

It was true that they wanted to keep their connection on the down low, but that didn't mean that Judy wasn't willing to take a risk for a few precious seconds of physical closeness with Nick. To her, keeping a space between them was an even greater scandal than the private affairs of two consenting adults.

Judy shrugged. "Let them talk," she let her paw slip to her chin in thought. "Oh! I almost forgot. I need to do something before we get back to business."

Before Nick could question her intentions she blocked his path with her cane and tugged at his tie bringing him low enough for her to steal a brief, strong kiss. Nick's paws flailed out of his pockets from the surprise attack, but found purchase at Judy's sides as they stumbled into the wall. They held it for a moment letting the lightning surge through them before Judy broke the kiss and continued walking like nothing out of the ordinary happened. Nick looked up and down the hall searching for onlookers. Finding none he trailed after the bunny, catching up with another kick in his step.

"Now what was that for I wonder," he thought out loud. "Methinks some-bunny is smitten with this sly fox."

Judy smiled, keeping her pace. "Perhaps this bunny is, Slick," she said with a wink. Nick loved when she did that. It was the one visual cue she took after him, and it drove him crazy.

Nick eyed her cane. Judy had grown out of the cast as the doctors had put it, but suggested she use the cane until she stopped feeling sore. Despite her protests Nick had managed to convince her of its utility. She was after all, still recovering.

"I bet if tried hard enough I could find someone willing to soup that stick of yours up into a billy club." He said, thinking back to her favorite super hero. "Real spiffy tech. Could be useful on the beat."

Judy rolled her eyes. "We're not going to be vigilantes, Nick. Stop asking."

Nick grinned. "Come on Carrots it'll be fun. You and me fighting crime on the streets, making the world a better place." He chopped his paws at the air in some vague attempt at karate.

"We already do that, and on the side of the law, remember?" She punctuated the last word with a playful jab at Nick's footpaw with her cane. He sidestepped it, but kept a wary look in her direction.

He stifled a chuckle, leaning in close to whisper in Judy's ear. "But you would look adorable in red spandex." He traced over her head in front of her ears, which stood attentive at his touch. "Cute little horns..." He trailed off.

Judy blushed sending an elbow at his ribs. Nick would gladly take the punishment if he could get away with those jokes.

Rubbing his side, Nick puffed up his chest emulating an authoritative tone as best he could. "We're going to have a nice long talk about workplace conduct when we get home, Officer Hopps." 

Judy eyed Nick with a raised brow as they rounded the corner. "Home, he says. Are we already moving in together?"

Nick sputtered out of his impression, straightening his glasses. He hadn't thought of it in that way before he said it. That's what he got for lowering his guard around her. She could make jokes too, he thought.

Or maybe not?

"You know, a little more training and we'll make a shifty fox out of you yet."

"Please. You love me just the way I am."

"Do I?" He nodded to his side as he spoke. "Yes. Yes I do."

With Nick at her side she felt elated, remarkably safe as she had described it to him. It wasn't a return to form. It was a new step in their lives as more than partners. And she wouldn't have it with any other fox. 

Judy looked up to her side, at the fox that meant so much to her. When the realization hit her she didn't need to think twice. He was the reason for her staying. The reason for her excitement at a new case. Every patrol, every slip of paperwork, if it was with him it was an endeavor worth embarking on. The partner that had evolved into so much more.

She smiled at him and he returned her look, a grin and a wink spread across his muzzle. 

"All this," she gestured at the walls, the building, to her fox. "I was wondering why I feel so peaceful here. And it reminds me of a song."

Nick raised a brow, but gestured for her to continue, curious at her musing of the day.

She spoke, letting her words again sing to the fox's ears. "If love is the answer, you're home." This was her home, with him.

Nick stowed his shades on his shirt pocket and slid a paw over his tie, straightening it. He knelt before Judy and wrapped her in his arms, cradling a paw behind her head holding her in that way that she loved to feel. From here she was able to press her muzzle into his neck, enough to where she could smell the sweet cinnamon of his shampoo.

"Sly bunny," he breathed out, the slight rasp of a chuckle behind his words. "You know just how to butter up this fox."

He pulled back to give an appraising look. How stupid he had been to think that he could never do right by her. It was never more apparent than now standing at the threshold of their new life together. He locked his eyes to hers taking them in.

Her eyes. Those amethyst windows to her soul. A gaze that carried so much weight, and yet such gentle love and care. Now, when she looked at him he always saw that familiar flicker. Her heart skipping a beat, excitement bating her breathe. And Nick felt the same way. He hoped she could see it too.

He could tell there would always be danger trailing after them. Judy was too noble for her own good, and that would inevitably effect Nick as well. Probably with him getting roped into another adventure. He smiled at the thought.

"What?" she said, a quizzical smile on her face.

"Those eyes of yours," he pointed two fingers that lingered down below her chin, raising it to meet his green leer. "It's everything I've ever wanted to see."

Judy blinked before her thoughts caught up with her and her smile grew as she fought back the emotion behind her eyes.

"Dumb fox. Come on," she placed a final peck on his lips. "They're waiting for us." She twisted the doorknob and pushed into the room.

Nick stood and straightened his posture, glimpsing at how she now walked strong and tall. Well, as tall as a bunny could walk. And he knew she felt the same way.

"Right behind you, Judy."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank everyone who gave me some positive feedback and the critique I used to mold my work just that much more. You're all simply wonderful readers and I couldn't have asked for a better first experience with my first story.
> 
> Sure it's corny, it's sappy, sometimes it's slow or a little rough, but dagnabit it's been a blast. I'll see about continuing it as I go. I still have some more ideas brewing.
> 
> Again, thank you:) till next time!


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